Giant Panda

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Facts and Knowledge:

Among the shyest and rarest of wild animals, the bear faced panda, with its black and white coat and prominent black eye markings, is one of the world best known animals. At first glance, the giant panda seems to resemble a near, but in fact its features have much in common with those of a raccoon. Although its ancestors were meat eaters,  the retiring and peaceful panda is a plant eater, feeding almost entirely on bamboo.

Habits: Pandas are solitary animals. they spend two thirds of their day feeding and et remainder of the day resting.. Extremely agile climbers, they usually climb only when they  when they are in danger from predators such as brown bears, leopards. and wild dogs. They take refuge in the nearest tree until danger has passed.  Pandas have no particular resting place; they simple lie down on the ground wherever they happened to be.  Pandas live in cold, damp conditions. They have exceptionally dense waterproof coats that give protection against these condition.

Breeding: The mating season is the only time pandas come together.  A single cub is born five months after mating in a nest contracted of bamboo.  A panda rarely gives birth to twins; if she does, the second cub is unlikely to survive.  The tiny newborn panda cub is blind; it is six inches long and weights only three ounces. It stays with its mother for 18 months, until it is independent enough to establish its territory.

Food & Feeding: Although the panda is classified as a carnivore, it diet is stems, leaves, and young shoots of various types of bamboo.  Because bamboo has a low nutritional value, the panda needs to eat huge quantifies 25 to 45 pounds a day, to sustain itself. Its also eats eggs and some seasonal vegetation.

Great Pandas and Man: At one time, the greatest threat to the giant panda's survival was man, who hunted it for its pelt.  Today the principal cause of its decline is the erosion of its habitat due to crop cultivation or from natural causes such as die back of bamboo.  As its natural habitat becomes increasingly surrounded  by human settlement, the panda can no longer migrate to unaffected areas.  the Chinese people now support any measures necessary for the pandas protection. As a result, those caught hunting the animal face severe penalties.  Special sanctuaries have been established in the panda's natural habitat for 500 to 600 animals.  Scientist are studying the animals habits and instituting a comprehensive conservation program.  Zoo's are also collaborating in the development of a captive breeding program.

Key Facts: Sizes, Weight, breeding, lifestyle, related Species

Length: Head body, 10 -12 ft.
Height: 5 ft standing on hind legs
Weight: 265 lbs females smaller

Breeding:
Sexual maturity: not known
Mating: not known maybe april
Gestation: 5 months
No of young: 1 cub

Lifestyle:
Call: Snort and puff, Calf bleats if it loses its mother.
Habit: Solitary
Diet: Bamboo, supplemented by berries, fruit, flowers, fungi, grasses, bark, and occasionally small animals.
 

Related Species: The name panda is taken from the animal now know as the cat bear. The cat bear is also known as the lesser ot red panda..
Distribution: Southwestern China, notably the Qionglai, Daxiangling, Xiaoxionging, and the laing Mountains in Sichuab Province, also the Min Mountains and Quinling Range and Shaanxi Province.
Conservation: The Giant panda is threatened with extinction. From as estimated 1,000 in 1983m, the numbers have dropped to 300 following die back of forest. Now in 1998  The numbers are 275.

Did you know:
A  the giant panda has larger molar teeth than any other mammal.
The giant panda spends 16 hours a day eating,  in which time digests only small portion of food.
The giant panda was unknown in the western world until 1869.
The panda stump like tails used to spread secretions produced by the scent glands, which are located beneath the tail.  onto the surrounding area.
The panda's hearings so acute that it can detect even the most stealthy predators.
The panda does not hibernate.