Giant Panta

Quick Fact The estimated number of giant pandas in the wild varies between 1,500 and 3,000.

Intriguing Giant Panda Mysteries is attributed to tiny microbes that live within their digestive system. As they can only digest about 20% of what they eat, the average giant panda consumes around 14 kilograms (30 pounds) of bamboo a day. In comparison, humans eat about 2 kilograms (5 pounds) of food a day. This enormous diet means the giant panda spends more than 12 hours a day eating to stay nourished.



Quick Fact As the seasons change, the giant panda prefers different species and parts of bamboo.

Tiny Cubs

An infant giant panda cub is about the size of a croissant, weighs less than a teacup and is about 900 times smaller than its mother. An average adult mother weighs around 91 kilograms (200 pounds) while a newborn weighs only 83 to 190 grams (3 to 4 ounces).

Other Fun Giant Panda Facts

Researchers have recently discovered that the gene responsible for tasting savoury or umami flavours, such as meat, is inactive in giant pandas.

For many centuries, giant pandas were thought to be a mythical creature, similar to a dragon or unicorn.

Unlike other bears in the region, giant pandas don’t hibernate.

Giant pandas can stand erect on their hind legs but rarely walk.

The Qinling panda, another giant panda species with a dark brown and light brown coat, lives only in the mountains of Shaanxi.

Giant pandas have very sensitive hearing and smell, but they have poor eyesight.

A newborn giant panda is blind and looks like a tiny, pink, hairless mouse.

While most adore their fluffy fur and round heads, which help give them their cuddly bear quality, others are fascinated by the many mysteries of the giant panda. Did you know that the giant panda may actually be a raccoon, they have an opposable pseudo thumb, and that they’re technically a carnivore even though their diet is primarily vegetarian? These things and more have baffled scientists and naturalists for...