What is a giant panda?

The giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ), sometimes called a panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the red panda, a neighboring musteloid.

Why is a panda special?

The panda is not special just because it is one of the most well known and charismatic animals on earth. It is also a very peculiar species, with many unique and remarkable characteristics. How many pandas live in the wild? Habitat: where do they live? What do they eat? How big, tall, and heavy are they? Why save the panda?

Are pandas carnivores?

The Panda bear is a large mammal native to central China. These bears are also known as giant pandas, or simply pandas. Though they famously dine on bamboo, pandas are bears, and scientists still classify them as carnivores. While they will occasionally feed on eggs, rodents, or birds, over 99% of this bear’s diet comes from bamboo plants.

Where do giant pandas live?

Native to central China, giant pandas have come to symbolize vulnerable species. As few as 1,864 giant pandas live in their native habitat, while another 600 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world. The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is a leader in giant panda conservation.