Cubs are absolutely tiny when born and for the first year of their lives are practically defenseless. In keeping with their cuddly image, the giant panda is generally a peaceful animal that will not seek confrontation even with members of its own species.
However if cornered a panda will act violently to protect themselves or their cubs. Pandas have also come under threat because of poaching. Pandas are often seen eating in a relaxed sitting posture, with their hind legs stretched out before them. They may appear sedentary, but they are skilled tree-climbers and efficient swimmers.
Giant pandas are solitary. They have a highly developed sense of smell that males use to avoid each other and to find females for mating in the spring. After a five-month pregnancy, females give birth to a cub or two, though they cannot care for both twins. The blind infants weigh only 5 ounces at birth and cannot crawl until they reach three months of age. They are born white, and develop their much loved coloring later.
Improved conservation efforts and better survey methods show an increase in the wild panda population. Hundreds more pandas live in breeding centers and zoos, where they are always among the most popular attractions.
Much of what we know about pandas comes from studying these zoo animals, because their wild cousins are so rare and elusive. All rights reserved. Giant Pandas A giant panda photographed at Zoo Atlanta in Georgia.
Common Name: Giant Panda. The light face has white badges similar to those of a raccoon, but each individual can have distinctive markings. Their roundish heads have medium-sized upright ears, black noses, and blackish eyes. Their long, bushy tails with six alternating transverse ochre rings provide balance and excellent camouflage against their habitat of moss- and lichen-covered trees. The legs are black and short with thick fur on the soles of the paws. This fur serves as thermal insulation on snow-covered or icy surfaces.
The red panda is specialized as a bamboo feeder with strong, curved and sharp semi-retractile claws standing inward for grasping narrow tree branches, leaves, and fruit. When descending a tree head-first, the red panda rotates its ankle to control its descent, one of the few climbing species to do so.
The red panda is territorial; it is solitary except during mating season. The species is generally quiet except for some twittering, tweeting, and whistling communication sounds. It has been reported to be both nocturnal and crepuscular, sleeping on tree branches or in tree hollows during the day and increasing its activity in the late afternoon and early evening hours. It sleeps stretched out on a branch with legs dangling when it is hot, and curled up with its tail over the face when it is cold.
The Chinese government banned logging in to stop deforestation and created a number of protected areas where no development is allowed. But half of the wild panda population still lives outside protected areas, and , humans live in unprotected natural panda habitats.
Groups working to save the giant panda have established a breeding program, are working with the Chinese government to protect percent of known panda habitats and have a plan to reforest panda habitats and build green corridors--areas of forested greenbelt that connect isolated panda habitats to facilitate breeding.
Sherry Gray started her writing career in when the company she worked for as a web developer began to fail. In college she majored in English, taking every writing and literature course available plus advertising and business.
Gray feels finally putting her education to work was a great career choice. The Natural Environment of African Lions. Why Are Pandas Endangered Animals? Endangered Species in the European Deciduous Forest.
Life Cycle of the Lion. How to Tell a Fawn's Age.
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