The
giant panda (Ailuropoda
melanoleuca; Chinese: 大 熊
猫 ; pinyin: dàxióngmāo), also
known as the panda bear or
simply the panda, is(nominal)
a bear native to south
central China. It is(nominal)
characterised by large, black
patches around its eyes, over
the ears, and across its round
body. The name "giant panda"
is(nominal) sometimes used to
distinguish it from the red
(verbal)
panda, a neighboring musteloid. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant
panda is(nominal) a folivore, with bamboo shoots and leaves making up more than 99% of
its diet. Giant pandas in the wild will occasionally eat(verbal) other grasses, wild tubers, or
even meat in the form of birds, rodents, or carrion. In captivity, they may receive(verbal)
honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially
prepared food.
The giant panda lives(verbal) in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly
in Sichuan, but also in neighbouring Shaanxi and Gansu. As a result of
farming, deforestation, and other development, the giant panda has been driven out of
the lowland areas where it once lived, and it is(nominal) a conservation-reliant vulnerable
species. A 2007 report showed 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another
27 outside the country. As of December 2014, 49 giant pandas lived in captivity outside
China, living in 18 zoos in 13 different countries. Wild population estimates vary; one
estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006
study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to
3,000. Some reports also show that the number of giant pandas in the wild is on the
rise. In March 2015, conservation news site Mongabay stated that the wild giant panda
population had increased by 268, or 16.8%, to 1,864. In 2016, the IUCN reclassified the
species from "endangered" to "vulnerable", affirming decade-long efforts to save the
panda.
While the dragon has often served as China's national symbol, internationally the giant
panda has(verbal) often filled this role. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in
international contexts, for example, appearing since 1982 on gold panda bullion coins
and as one of the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics.
The giant panda has(verbal) luxuriant black-and-white fur. Adults measure around 1.2 to
1.9 metres (3 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 3 inches) long, including a tail of about 10–15 cm
(4–6 in), and 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) tall at the shoulder. Males can weigh up to 160 kg
(350 lb). Females (generally 10–20% smaller than males) can weigh as little as 70 kg
(150 lb), but can also weigh up to 125 kg (276 lb), The average weight for adults is 100
to 115 kg (220 to 254 lb).
The giant panda has(verbal) a body shape typical of bears. It has(verbal) black fur on its
ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, arms and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat
is(nominal) white. Although scientists do(verbal) not know why these unusual bears are(nominal)
black and white, speculation suggests that the bold colouring provides(verbal) effective
camouflage in their shade-dappled snowy and rocky habitat. The giant panda's thick,
wooly coat keeps(verbal) it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. The panda's skull shape
is(nominal) typical of durophagous carnivorans. It has(verbal) evolved from previous
ancestors to exhibit larger molars with increased complexity and expanded temporal
fossa. A 110.45 kg (243.5 lb) giant panda has(verbal) a 3D canine teeth bite force of
2603.47 newtons and bite force quotient of 292. Another study had a 117.5 kg (259 lb)
giant panda bite of 1298.9 newtons (BFQ 151.4) at canine teeth and 1815.9 newtons
(BFQ 141.8) at carnassial teeth.[43]
The giant panda's paw has(verbal) a "thumb" and five fingers; the "thumb" – actually a
modified sesamoid bone – helps(verbal) it to hold bamboo while eating. Stephen Jay
Gould discusses this feature in his book of essays on evolution and biology, The
Panda's Thumb.
The giant panda's tail, measuring 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in), is(nominal) the second-longest in
the bear family (the longest belongs to the sloth bear).
The giant panda typically lives(verbal) around 20 years in the wild and up to 30 years
in captivity. A female named Jia Jia was the oldest giant panda ever in captivity, born in
1978 and died at an age of 38 on 16 October 2016.
SOURCE: [Link]
