Scientists disagree about whether the giant panda is closely related to bears or raccoons or is separate from both. Pandas weigh an average of 200 to 300 pounds and reach six feet in length. Only 1,000 pandas exist in the wild and 60 in zoos. The panda s lifespan in the wild is unknown but in captivity averages more than 20 years. The shrinking range of the panda is limited to parts of Szechuan, Shensi and Kansu provinces in central and western China.
Pandas feed mostly on bamboo, a tall woody plant full of fiber.
The panda s digestive system does not absorb the fiber, so it must eat a lot. Pandas also eat flowers, vines, tufted grasses, green corn, honey and rodents. These solitary animals spend most of their days feeding. Although they live in cold forests, pandas do not hibernate. They move to lower elevations during winter to keep warm and to higher elevations in summer to stay cool.