Giant pandas are perhaps one of the most loved animals to walk this earth. They are often featured in movies, coloring books, and advertisements. Children and adults alike own giant panda stuffed animals and rush to the panda exhibit when they visit the zoo. Despite their popularity, giant pandas are an incredibly endangered species, primarily due to deforestation and habitat destruction. Here are a few fun facts about this incredible species, why they are facing extinction, and how we can help save them.
1. Giant pandas are, arguably, one of the most beloved animals in the world.
2. The giant panda is the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund.
3. Giant pandas do not hibernate.
4. They have a protruding wrist bone that acts as an opposable thumb, allowing them to better grasp bamboo, which is their main source of food.
5. Giant pandas are shy and rare.
6. Giant pandas spread seeds and facilitate the growth of vegetation in bamboo forests.
7. They do not roar like other bears.
8. Giant pandas spend 2/3 of their day eating because of the low nutritional value of bamboo.
9. They can be found in the mountain forests of southwest China.
10. Pandas bring economic benefits to local populations through ecotourism.
11. Giant pandas spend a large part of their day resting.
12. Despite their large stature (they can grow up to 330 pounds as an adult), these pandas are excellent tree climbers.
13. Giant pandas do not have a special resting place. They lie down wherever they happen to be.
14. Because bamboo does not provide a lot of energy, giant pandas move very slowly and cannot do activities that require a lot of energy.
15. Pandas grow very quickly. It takes a baby panda one year to go from four ounces to 100 pounds.
16. Giant pandas can only reproduce about two to three days each spring, which makes it very difficult for them to increase their population.
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17. There are only about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild. About 300 pandas live in captivity, such as in a zoo.
18. Despite strict poaching laws, giant pandas are still at risk of being accidentally killed by hunters.
19. Another reason why giant pandas are endangered is habitat destruction.
20. Roads and railroads fragment the forest, isolating pandas and making it difficult for them to mate.
21. Forest destruction also makes it challenging for pandas to access bamboo.
22. The Chinese government have established over 50 panda reserves; about 61% of the panda population are protected by them.
23. Researchers continue to study the breeding patterns of pandas in an effort to increase their population.
24. You can help by donating or adopting a panda through the World Wildlife Fund.
