Panda Bear

Panda Bear Facts

Description

The Panda Bear certainly is very different in appearance than the other species of bears. It features both black and white on the body. The white is white with black around the eyes. The limbs are black as is the band around the back of the neck that extends from both of the front limbs. The back and the stomach of them are white in color.

These are a small species of bear which is another reason why people seem to love them. They don’t portray the same image of a mean bear as the larger species often do. A full grown Panda Bear will be about 200 pounds and from 5 to 6 feet tall. The males are slightly bigger than the females.

Anatomy

Just like all bears, this one has a very large head. However, the Panda Bear has a very round look to it. As they mature they often get more round in appearance. This is due to the development of the powerful jaws that are used for eating. The molars are flat to help with the consumption of the plant life that makes up almost all of their diet.

Their coat is very thick which helps them to keep their body temperature regulated. Unless you look at one very close you won’t know that they have very large wrists. The purpose of them is the same as opposable thumbs for humans and for apes. They will mainly use them to crush bamboo and get to the shoots inside.

They mass of the body is very heavy which is why these animals end up moving so slowly. When they walk both the heel and the toe touch the ground which is the same format for humans.

Evolution

Many people are quite interested in the evolution of the Panda Bear. How did they become so different from other types of bears? Until DNA testing confirmed it there were many that didn’t even believe this was actually a type of bear. Fossilized remains dating about 8 million years ago have been found.

It is believed that they used to be twice as large as they are now. It is also believed that due to shortages of food they became dependent almost completely on the bamboo and plant life. They weren’t able to find enough animals to thrive on. The movement into trees could account for a survival instinct. Since Panda Bears can’t move fast they could become prey for other animals if they remain on the ground.

There are many stories and legends of the Panda Bear in the Chinese history. It was regarded as sacred. Many writings indicate that it helped to keep bad spirits away. The various Emperors of China also had them as pets.
Behavior

In a zoo setting Panda Bears are generally in pairs. However, in the wild they tend to spend their time alone. The exception is when the females are caring for their young. They aren’t very territorial though so they are tolerant of each other eating in the same areas. They can often be boring to watch though as they mainly eat and sleep for most of the day and night.
Habitat/Distribution

China is the place where Panda Bears reside. They live in the forests that are very damp. They can be found in the elevations from 4,000 to 11,000 feet. Through careful observations six different areas where they are known to live in the forests of China have been identified.

They will change the elevation of where they happen to reside based on the growth season of the bamboo. They are able to determine when it will be at its best in a given area. This type of movement in their habitat also prevents them from completely depleting that resource from any given area. Evidence of where these bears were once living in the trees has been found throughout those six regions of China.

Diet/Feeding Habits

Many people assume that bamboo shoots are the only types of food that these bears eat. They also consume stems and leaves. In fact, they spend most of their time in the trees so that the food sources for them are right there. They are also known to get on the ground and look for other animals. They have to be very good at hunting though because they can’t move fast like other types of bears can.

The amount of bamboo that these bears can consume per day is unbelievable. In all, they can eat from 25 to 35 pounds of food every day. The bamboo is often left for them because other types of animals can’t chew through it. Bamboo has splinters that can get into the throat and be very uncomfortable. However, the Panda Bear has a thick esophagus that allows them to swallow it without any problems.

Reproduction

Reproduction is a very serious concern when it comes to the Panda Bears. Research shows they are able to mate at a very early age. However, most of them don’t seem to have any interest in it until much later. Even when they do mate there isn’t always the success of offspring being created.

The males will fight with each other for the right to mate with females in the area. It isn’t uncommon for the males to mate with several females during a given season. This spans from the months of March through May. The pair may spend a couple of days with each other before going their own ways.

The offspring will be born from 97 to 163 days later. Usually only one cub is born at a time but twins are possible. They will spend about 1 ½ years with their mother in the wild before they go out on their own. Generally they will take up residence within a close proximity of their mother as long as enough food is available.

Panda Bear moms can be stressed out when it comes to caring for their young. They seem to lack the maternal instincts that most animals have in order to adequately provide for their young. Part of the efforts to increase their numbers has to do with artificial means of conception. They also include the young being cared for by humans when the natural mother isn’t able to do so. In the wild Pandas can live to be about 25 years of age and in captivity about 30 years old.

Predators

With only about 700 Pandas remaining in the wild, you would think hunters would leave them alone. However, the low numbers often fuels their desire to kill them. They want to be able to have one as a trophy before they are all gone. It can be a long process of waiting and searching in the hunt for a Panda Bear.

Even though this type of hunting is illegal in China it continues to take place. There are instances where poachers have been given the death penalty though for killing the Panda Bears. Those types of penalties can only be implemented though if the people responsible for the actions are actually caught. Today the Panda Bear has the status of the most endangered animal in the world.