The panda is a rare large mammal, known as the "national treasure" and "messenger of peace." They are one of the most popular and adorable animals in the world and an important symbol in Chinese culture. This article will introduce in detail the characteristics, ecological habits and other aspects of pandas.

1. Physical Characteristics

Panda is a large animal, weighing more than 100 kilograms. Their bodies are black and white in color and have very dense hairs, with the number per square centimeter even exceeding 110,000.

Pandas' forelimbs are longer than their hind legs, which allows them to climb trees and bamboo with ease.

Pandas have particularly well-developed molars and very thick teeth and jaws that can easily bite off bamboo stems and leaves. In addition, their incisors are relatively long, which can help them peel off the skin and tendons of bamboo. The structure and strength of a panda's teeth are closely related to its food habits. Because the bamboo fibers are very hard, you need to use enough force to break them. Therefore, panda teeth must go through a long evolutionary process to adapt to this special food. Pandas' teeth face many challenges in the wild. For example, eating bamboo containing sand or mud can damage their teeth. In order to protect their teeth, pandas usually choose to eat on fresh, clean bamboo branches, or choose to clean the bamboo before eating.

The panda's call is often described as similar to a baby's cry, which is dull due to its lower frequency. Among pandas, they communicate and interact in this way. In addition, pandas sometimes make bleating sheep sounds. In this case, they usually make this sound when they feel upset or scared. Pandas also use other roars or throat sounds to express different emotions and intentions, such as joy, provocation, or aggression.

2. Ecological Habits

Pandas are nocturnal animals and will climb trees or hang on branches to rest at night. They have a very wide range of activities and generally live in mountainous areas and bamboo forests.

Pandas like to live alone. Pandas are mammals that feed on bamboo. They usually live alone. Pandas spend most of their time searching for food, sleeping and resting in their own territory. However, during the spring breeding season, pandas gather together to mate. Male pandas will make sizzling noises to attract the attention of females, and then they will play and chase each other together in order to establish a close relationship between them. Once a female panda becomes pregnant, she returns to her territory and gives birth on her own. Cubs usually leave their mothers at about two years and live independently.

3. Food habits

The ancestors of pandas are carnivores and originated about 8 million years ago. However, over time, they evolved into animals that feed mainly on bamboo.

The reason for this change may be related to the environment in which pandas live. Over the past few million years, Earth's climate has been changing, reducing the panda's original food supply. This forced the pandas to look for other food sources, and eventually they discovered bamboo that could meet their needs.

The pandas' bodies also adapted to their new diet. For example, their teeth and digestive systems are adapted to chewing and digesting the high-fiber leaves and stems of bamboo. In this way, pandas become one of the few mammals on earth that rely on bamboo as their main food source. But bamboo is not a nutritious food, so pandas need to eat more than 30 kilograms of bamboo every day to stay alive. Pandas have a very simple digestive system and can only absorb about 17% of the nutrients in bamboo, which is why they need to eat a lot.

4. Reproduction

The reproduction rate of pandas in the wild is very low. Usually one litter is born every two years. Newborn pandas usually weigh only about 100 grams and need to rely on their mother's milk for growth and development. Panda cubs are very fragile in the first few months of life and require the loving care of their mother to survive. The life span of pandas is generally between 20 and 30 years.

5. Conservation status

Panda is an extremely endangered species, with only about 1,800 wild giant pandas left in the wild. In order to protect this precious species, our country has taken a series of measures, including establishing nature reserves, strengthening monitoring and scientific research, etc. In addition, there are many environmental organizations and volunteers actively involved in protecting pandas. Globally, pandas have also been included in the international endangered species list and have received great attention and attention from people around the world.