Facts On Pandas
Fun, interesting and cool panda facts!
- The scientific name for a giant panda is Ailuropoda melanoleuca.
- Although giant pandas are considered the peaceful members of the bear family, they can still be extremely dangerous to humans.
- Pandas have broad, flat molars (teeth), strong jaws and a protruding, oversized wrist bone that acts as an opposable thumb. Both of these unique features are useful to the panda holding, crushing and eating bamboo.
- As of 2007, there are approximately 1,600 giant panda bears living in the wild.
- Pandas stay mostly on the ground. but they are able to climb trees.
- Giant pandas may eat 25-80 lbs of bamboo each day to meet its energy requirements.
- Giant Pandas do not hibernate, but they often relocate to lower altitudes during the winter and spring seasons.
- When on all four legs, giant pandas stand an average of between two and three feet tall at the shoulder, and between four to six feet long. Males pandas are larger than females, weighing up to 250 pounds in the wild. Female giant pandas rarely reach 220 pounds.
- A baby panda usually stays with its mother from one and a half to three years.