Qinling Panda

## About

A Qinling panda.

The Qinling panda (pronounced CHIN-LING) ***(Ailuropoda melanoleuca qinlingensis)*** is a lesser known subspecies of the much more well known giant panda ***(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)***. Qinling pandas were first discovered in the 1960's but was not fully recognised as a subspecies until 2005. Qinling pandas are known for their light brown patches of fur in place of the usual black fur patches of giant pandas. Other than the fur colour differences, Qinling pandas also have lowered eye markings, starting at the lower eye-lid instead of covering the full eye, as well as a smaller skull-size when compared to a giant panda. Qinling pandas are around the same size as a giant pandas, growing to 1.2-1.8m (3.9-5.9ft) in length and 70-80cm (27.5-31.4in) at shoulder height. The males of the species are heavier than females, weighing 60-190kg (198-352lbs) whereas females weigh 75-125kg (165-275lbs).

## Diet

Qinling pandas much like their relatives the giant pandas, eat only bamboo species. Qinling pandas consume both species of bamboo that grow in the Qin mountains. Both wood and arrow bamboo grow in the area and Qinling pandas will often feed on the wood bamboo in Spring and mating season, as it is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus during this time of the year.

## Conservation Status

Though Qinling pandas have not been assessed by the IUCN, it is widely recognised as critically endangered due to its small population. Qinling pandas are further put at risk of extinction by climate change, which is killing populations of both wood and arrow bamboo. Deforestation also poses a threat to Qinling pandas and their food sources, as humans further encroach onto panda habitat, killing their forest homes and destroying their food.

## Range and Population

Qinling pandas are known to inhabit the Qin mountains of central China. In these environments the pandas live on high mountainous elevations of up to 1,300–3,000 m (4,300–9,800 ft) in bamboo forests. Qinling pandas prefer a cooler environment and are often found in snowy temperate areas. The population of the Qinling panda is small laying at 200-300 individuals. No population trend is available currently, due to the species not yet being evaluated by the IUCN.

## Behaviour

Qinling pandas act almost identically to giant pandas, both spending most of their day eating stalks of bamboo. Also like giant pandas, Qinling pandas are more active during hours of night time and twilight. This nocturnal behaviour is further supported by the eyes of both pandas species having similar eyes to nocturnal species.

### Relationship with Humans

Qinling pandas are largely thought to be very docile animals, devoid of aggression this is a common misunderstanding. Qinling pandas will act aggressively and angrily if threatened or irritated however, most of the time Qinling pandas are quite relaxed unless provoked.

## In Captivity

As of 2022 there is only one living Qinling panda in captivity. The Qinling panda in question is named 'Qizai' and was found in poor shape abandoned in the Shaanxi province in China. Qizai was left in the bamboo forests without his mother interestingly, his mother was almost certainly a black and white panda, making his past even more intriguing. Qizai is 13 years old as of 2022, and is currently residing in Panda Valley, Shaanxi, China.

## Sources

* Panda Habitat | WWF - https://wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge\_hub/endangered\_species/giant\_panda/panda/where\_panda\_lives\_habitat/
* Qinling Panda | Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qinling\_panda
* Qinling Panda | Bear Conservation UK - http://www.bearconservation.org.uk/qinling-panda/
* Giant Panda | Bear Conservation UK - http://www.bearconservation.org.uk/giant-panda/
* Qinling Panda | Science.org - https://www.science.org/