Who is it?
Giant pandas are fascinating animals. It eats bamboo (as indicated by its name in Nepali), it was no more than a solitary wanderer of the mountains of China until in 1869 it was made known in the West by the naturalist and missionary Armand David. Giant pandas are a symbol for those who are convinced of the need to protect nature and biodiversity.
They are peaceful animals and expert tree climbers. The females are lighter than the males, though there are no differences between them. Their fur is rough, long and dense; sometimes, the black has a brownish tinge, and the white darkens or becomes more reddish and brown. It has vertical pupils, like cats. This species has developed a sixth finger (pseudo-thumb) which is simply a prolongation of the wrist bone that allows it to uproot, grasp and carry the bamboo to its mouth.
What are its habits?
Temperate forests in China have traditionally provided giant pandas with shelter and food. Each individual usually occupies a territory of between 4 and 6.5 km, while it moves casually and slowly, saving energy. Dawn and dusk are the times when the bear is most active, though not always.
Males and females are found in practically identical areas and communicate with one another with a series of sounds. Especially the males, who make call and groaning sounds during the breeding season (which are specific and rather noisy). The cubs are born after a gestation of 135 days and are blind and pink. Its diet consists mainly of bamboo; they also eat insects, eggs, fruit and small mammals..
Did you know…
The survival of the panda bear is still in doubt: there are only between 1,000 and 2,000 animals in their natural habitat, in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan (China).