The giant panda, also known as the bamboo bear because of its extreme dietary specialization, is very sensitive to changes in its habitat.

Distribution area and habitat

Panda bears once resided in a large part of China as well as the north of Burma and Vietnam. However, changes in climate and, above all, huge population growth have forced them out of almost all of these areas. Today, the last of the bamboo bears live in six populations in the south-west of China. Parts of these mountainous regions, which are isolated from each other, are now designated nature reserves – but almost half of the panda live outside of these protective zones.

Although impenetrable mountain slopes with a mild, subtropical climate are the giant panda’s preferred habitat, it also lives in regions with high mountains where it advances up to heights of 4,000 meters.

Appearance, height and weight

The panda bear has a distinctively round, white face with black ears and black markings around its eyes. Its limbs and shoulders also have a black colouring. Females weigh around 80 kilograms whilst males reach a weight of 85-125 kilograms and a body height of 180 centimetres.

Diet

Giant pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo leaves and shoots. In order to become full from this food, which is low in nutrients, they need up to 30 kilograms per day. This means that they have to eat for up to 16 hours a day, occasionally feeding on the bulbs of plants, roots, eggs and small mammals.

Its extreme dependency on the bamboo plant as a source of food makes the giant panda uncommonly vulnerable. As a result, a lot of the bears perish if the plants in the area in which they live die after flowering en masse – a phenomenon occurring at intervals of 20 to 40 years. In earlier times, panda bears could then resort to other types of bamboo on lower ground. But today these areas have largely fallen victim to land clearing.

Way of life

Panda bears tend to be loners and spend most of their day eating. They tend to retire to caves or high trees to sleep. Although they are active all year round, they’re movements are conspicuously slow due to their vegetable diet which is low in nutrients.

Social behaviour and reproduction

Female panda bears become capable of reproducing between three and four years of age. During the reproductive period in April and May, both sexes leave scent markings on rocks and trees. Occasionally, several males compete for a female. The bears make roaring calls during the mating season.

Every two to three years, a female panda bear gives birth to one to two roughly hamster-size cubs, following a gestation period of three to six months. The young weigh only 75-150 grams and, as they need constant warmth and care, only one of them tends to survive. The offspring becomes independent and goes it alone at an age of 18 months. Giant pandas have a very low reproductive rate as many young bears die for reasons which are still unknown.

Special characteristics

The giant panda has an enlarged, flexible wrist bone, the sesamoid bone, which allows it to grasp bamboo stems.Its cousin, the lesser panda, also has this “false thumb”. For this reason, some scientists regard the giant panda as a member of the raccoon family or place it in its own family, the Ailuridae.

Status

The giant panda is the symbol for endangered species. Only a few tiny populations remain in the south-west of China. Despite consolidated protection measures, the bears are threatened with extinction due to the destruction of their habitat.

In June 2004, the number of pandas in the wild was estimated to number a total of 1,600.