Habitat: the land of the panda | WWF Clic to discover the results of the last panda survey in China © naturepl.com / Eric Baccega / WWF A shrinking refuge The giant panda was once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, as well as neighbouring Myanmar and northern Vietnam. But due to expanding human populations and development, the species is now restricted to around 20 isolated patches of bamboo forest in six mountain ranges in China's Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Most of the remaining wild pandas live in the Minshan and Qinling mountains. And it is here that WWF has focussed its giant panda conservation work, supporting the Chinese government's efforts to conserve the species. Since habitat loss is the most serious threat to the panda, establishing new reserves and extending existing ones are crucial to its survival. After a significant increase in recent years, China now boasts a network of 67 panda reserves, which safeguard more than 66% of the giant pandas in the wild and almost 54% of their existing habitat.

The Chinese government, in partnership with WWF, has also developed bamboo corridors to link isolated pockets of forest, allowing the pandas within them to move to new areas, find more food and meet more potential breeding mates. Sign up for email updates * indicates required Subscribe to WWF Minshan Mountains The mountains form a natural barrier between the densely populated southern and eastern provinces of China and the great wilderness of the Tibetan Plateau, the highest and largest in the world. Spreading through the provinces of Sichuan and Gansu, the Minshan mountains run along the north of the Great Sichuan plain and to the east of the Tibetan Plateau, and form part of one of the most important watersheds in China. They are also home to hundreds of giant pandas with PingWu county boasting the highest density of wild pandas in the world. But the Minshan mountains' magnificent forests are a critical habitat not only for giant pandas but also for a wealth of other species, including the dwarf blue sheep and beautiful multi-coloured pheasants. Giant panda in Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province © Susan A. Mainka / WWF The Qinling Mountains. Shaanxi, China.

© WWF / Michel GUNTHER Qinling Mountains The mountains are part of China's most critical watershed, channeling rainwater into both of the country's great rivers, the Yangtze and the Yellow. Located in Shaanxi Province, the Qinling mountains form a natural barrier between northern and southern China, protecting the south from the cold northern weather. And the warm rains on the southern slopes support a rich variety of plants and animals. Along with a few hundred pandas, the mountains are also home to other endangered species, including the golden monkey, takin and crested ibis. As well as being fantastically rich in natural resources, the mountains also boast a long human history, dating back thousands of years. Qinling sub-species Scientists have discovered that the giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains are actually a different subspecies from the other giant pandas. © naturepl.com / Edwin Giesbers / WWF Where Do Pandas Live - Panda Habitat Facts for Kids Where Do Pandas Live – Panda Habitat Do you know where do pandas live? The panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is also recognized as the Giant Panda and is endemic to North America and southern China.

More than 90% of the pandas’ diet composes of bamboo. Though occasionally, these animals also feed on grasses, rodents, carrion, and wild tubers. In captivity, these animals are fed by fish, honey, oranges, eggs and shrubs. In the wild, these species inhabits across the mountainous regions of China. However, most of these pandas have been wiped out due to deforestation. The total population of pandas is only 1,590 left in the world. In the wild, giant pandas mostly spend their time in the bamboo forests. Giant pandas prefer to live a solitary life. Vocalization is the main medium through which pandas communicate with each other. Panda Eating Bamboo Where Do Pandas Live? Pandas have been kept in zoo across different parts of the world. In Asia, these animals are raised in several zoos especially in China. Some of the notable zoos where pandas are kept include Beijing Zoo, Bifengxia Panda Base, Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, Hua Mei, Tai Shan, Mei Sheng, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Breeding, Wolong National Nature Reserve, and Ocean Park.

Some other places of Asia where pandas are abundant are Taipei, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, Chuang Chuang, Chiang Mai, Lin Hui, River Safari, New Park in Singapore, and Wakayama. Pandas are also found in the Australian zoos such as Adelaide zoo and southern hemisphere. In Europe, these species exist in Berlin (Germany), Vienna (Australia), Madrid (Spain), Edinburgh zoo, and Zooparc de beauval. Pandas also dwell in places of North America Chapultepec Zoo, Xin Xin, San Diego, US National Zoo, Lun Lun, Xi Lan, Memphis Zoo, Toronto zoo, and Calgary zoo. Where Do Pandas Live | Video TAGS Giant panda videos, photos and facts - Ailuropoda melanoleuca | ARKive Top Giant panda biology Adult giant pandas are largely solitary and have well-defined home ranges , rarely meeting except in the mating season, which runs from March to May (1) (2) (3) (5) . During this time, the giant panda signals its presence by marking trees and banks with scent secreted from glands located beneath its tail (3) (6) .

It will also claw bark (3) (6) and males occasionally ‘dust bathe’, the dust particles becoming covered with the giant panda’s scent and wafting into the air (6) . Male giant pandas often vocalise during the mating season, producing calls that can be heard echoing through the mountains (7) . Female giant pandas also use vocalisations such as bleats, moans and barks to advertise their readiness to mate (3) . The female giant panda usually give birth to a single cub between July and September (1) (3) . The gestation period is highly variable, ranging from around 95 to 181 days (2) (3) , but this is due to a variable delay between fertilisation and implantation, and the true gestation length is closer to about 50 days (3) (8) . Although twins are sometimes born, the female rarely raises more than one of the cubs (1) (3) . The young giant panda is born at an extremely immature stage of development, weighing only a tiny fraction of the female’s weight (3) (5) .

The giant panda cub is helpless after birth, and for the first few weeks of its life the female cares for it in a den located in the base of a hollow tree or in a cave (2) (3) (8) . After four to seven weeks, the young panda starts to travel with the female, but must be carried and can only move about independently at five to six months old (3) . The young giant panda remains dependent on the female until it is at least 18 months old (2) (3) . Female giant pandas usually give birth only once every two years (2) (3) . The giant panda reaches sexual maturity at around 5.5 to 6.5 years old (2) and may live for around 14 to 30 years in the wild (2) (3) . This species has often wrongly been thought to be a poor breeder due to its low breeding success in captivity. However, in the wild it has been found to have a breeding rate comparable to other bear species (1) (2) . The giant panda is unusual in the extreme specialisation of its diet, which consists almost entirely of bamboo.

As a member of the bear family, the giant panda has the digestive system of a carnivore and so is only able to digest a small proportion of its bamboo food (2) (3) . An adult giant panda therefore needs to spend most of its waking hours feeding and must consume between 10 and 18 kilograms of food daily in order to meet its energy requirements (3) (8) . It alternates periods of feeding and resting throughout the day and night (3) (7) . Although 99 percent of the giant panda’s diet consists of bamboo (1) (3) , it also occasionally eats other plant material and will even sometimes eat meat (2) (7) . The giant panda typically sits down to feed, freeing its forelimbs to manipulate food (3) . Top Giant panda range The historic range of the giant panda encompassed much of eastern and southern China, reaching into northern Vietnam and Myanmar (1) (2) (3) . Today, the giant panda is restricted to six separate mountain ranges in western China, on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan (1) (2) (3) .

Top Giant panda habitat The giant panda was once found in hilly ravines at lower elevations, but populations have now been forced into the mountains. This species can be found in temperate montane forest at elevations of 1,200 to 4,100 metres, where there is an abundance of bamboo (1) (2) . Unlike some other bear species, the giant panda does not hibernate (1) (2) (3) , instead descending to lower elevations in winter to avoid severe weather. It may also make seasonal movements to different elevations to select certain bamboo species or to take advantage of new shoots in spring (3) (6) . Top Giant panda status The giant panda is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List (1) , and listed on Appendix I of CITES (4) . Top Giant panda threats Habitat loss is the greatest cause of the decline of the giant panda. Large areas of China’s natural forest have been cleared for agriculture, timber and firewood, to meet the needs of the large and growing human population (1) (2) (3) .

Livestock grazing can also degrade giant panda habitat, preventing trees and bamboo from regenerating (3) . The remaining habitat of the giant panda is highly fragmented, leaving the species restricted to small, isolated subpopulations which are at higher risk of extinction (1) (3) . Although its overall population was estimated at around 1,600 individuals in the wild in 2004 (2) , many subpopulations of the giant panda are likely to contain fewer than 50 individuals (1) . The giant panda’s dependence on bamboo makes it particularly vulnerable to the effects of habitat loss (2) . Bamboo undergoes a periodic die-back every 15 to 120 years, and vast swathes of particular species can disappear at the same time. Previously, the giant panda would migrate to find alternative bamboo sources, but the extent of habitat loss means that this is no longer possible, making panda populations even more vulnerable (1) (3) (7) . Although poaching has been a problem for the giant panda in the past, the introduction of high penalties for poaching has reduced it to levels which are no longer believed to pose a significant threat.

However, giant pandas are still sometimes killed in snares illegally set for other species (1) (3) . Top Giant panda conservation The giant panda receives the highest level of protection under China’s Wildlife Protection Law (1) (2) (3) . This species is also listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which effectively bans international trade (4) . A national conservation plan is in place for the giant panda (1) (3) , and major conservation efforts are underway to restore panda habitat. Many forest reserves have been created specifically to protect giant pandas, with a priority being to establish habitat ‘corridors’ to link different protected areas (1) (2) (3) . China is also working to increase and improve forested areas outside of reserves, although the rapid pace of economic development threatens to cause further habitat fragmentation (1) . Captive breeding programmes are believed to be important to the giant panda, both as insurance against the species going extinct in the wild, and to create a source of individuals for reintroduction into the wild when this becomes feasible (3) (8) .

The success of captive breeding has markedly increased in recent years, thanks to significant advances in managing the health of captive pandas and a greater understanding of the species’ reproductive biology (8) . A range of organisations are conducting important work both in captivity and in the field to address the conservation needs of the giant panda and to improve knowledge of its habitat, populations and behaviour (8) . It will be important to continue monitoring the wild giant panda population, as well as to raise conservation awareness among local people (2) (3) . After years of decline, the giant panda is now thought to be increasing in the wild (2) . Despite remaining in grave danger of extinction, the giant panda is one of the universally recognised symbols of conservation and has been the logo of WWF since the 1960s. This organisation has been working closely with the Chinese people over the decades to help conserve this much-loved Chinese species for future generations (2) . Giant pandas | WWF Giant pandas Sign up to get the latest WWF news delivered straight to your inbox Close Giant pandas: living proof that conservation works The charismatic giant panda – WWF’s famous symbol – is a conservation icon turned conservation success.

Vulnerable (Around 1864 remain) Ailuropoda melanoleuca Affected by: Habitat loss and fragmentation , Climate change The charismatic giant panda is a global conservation icon and the symbol of our organisation. Thanks to decades of successful conservation work, wild panda numbers are starting to recover, but they remain at risk. Human activities continue to be the biggest threats to their survival. An extensive giant panda nature reserve network exists, but one-third of all wild pandas live outside of protected areas in small isolated populations. Pandas typically lead a solitary life. They're excellent tree climbers, but they spend most of their time feeding. They can eat for 14 hours a day, mainly bamboo, which is 99% of their diet (though they sometimes eat eggs or small animals too). Giant pandas are living proof that conservation works. And even better, by protecting pandas we’re also helping protect the wider environment where they live, for all the wildlife and the people that depend on it. Nicola Loweth Regional officer for India and China "I’ll never forget the day I came face to face with one of the world’s most iconic species - the giant panda - as this charismatic and universally loved species is rarely seen in the wild.

As I stood staring into his dark solemn eyes, I was overcome with a sense of tranquility. I also felt thankful to have shared this unique experience alongside our dedicated field team who work passionately to protect this incredible species." Where giant pandas live Wild giant pandas could once have been found throughout eastern and southern China, northern Vietnam and northern Myanmar. Now the pandas range is restricted to just six isolated mountain ranges in Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan Provinces in south-central China. They live mainly in deciduous broadleaf, mixed conifer and sub-alpine coniferous forests between elevations of about 1,200-3,400 metres. Why giant pandas are so important Giant pandas help to keep their mountain forests healthy by spreading seeds in their droppings, which helps vegetation to thrive. The panda’s forest environment is also important for local people – for food, income and fuel for cooking and heating. Giant pandas live in the mountain catchment areas of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, whose river basins are the economic heart of China, home to over half a billion people. Panda habitat rivals the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem in the world. It's also vitally important for other threatened and endangered species.

including golden sub-nosed monkeys, takins, red pandas and snow leopards. By protecting pandas we’re helping conserve the wider environment, for the people and wildlife that depend on it. Giant Panda | National Geographic Giant Panda About the Giant Panda The giant panda has an insatiable appetite for bamboo. A typical animal eats half the day—a full 12 out of every 24 hours—and relieves itself dozens of times a day. It takes 28 pounds of bamboo to satisfy a giant panda's daily dietary needs, and it hungrily plucks the stalks with elongated wrist bones that function rather like thumbs. Pandas will sometimes eat birds or rodents as well. Behavior and Habitat Wild pandas live only in remote, mountainous regions in central China. These high bamboo forests are cool and wet—just as pandas like it. They may climb as high as 13,000 feet to feed on higher slopes in the summer season. Pandas are often seen eating in a relaxed sitting posture, with their hind legs stretched out before them. They may appear sedentary, but they are skilled tree-climbers and efficient swimmers. Breeding and Population Giant pandas are solitary.

They have a highly developed sense of smell that males use to avoid each other and to find females for mating in the spring. After a five-month pregnancy, females give birth to a cub or two, though they cannot care for both twins. The blind infants weigh only 5 ounces at birth and cannot crawl until they reach three months of age. They are born white, and develop their much loved coloring later. Improved conservation efforts and better survey methods show an increase in the wild panda population. Hundreds more pandas live in breeding centers and zoos, where they are always among the most popular attractions. Much of what we know about pandas comes from studying these zoo animals, because their wild cousins are so rare and elusive. WATCH: How the National Zoo Trains Its Panda Cub What motivates a young giant panda? Food, of course! And that's what the zookeepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo use to reward Bei Bei the panda cub as he completes training tasks. © 1996-2017 National Geographic Society.

Panda Bear Tour | China Adventures | Natural Habitat Adventures The Wild Side of China: A Nature Odyssey A Far-East Safari to See Pandas, Explore Remote Nature Reserves & Search for Rare Wildlife Deep in the Minshan Mountains of Sichuan province, great rivers and gorges dissect lush forests that shelter some of the world’s most endangered wildlife. This is the last wild habitat of the giant panda, which subsists on the bamboo protected within a network of remote nature reserves. Supported by WWF, these little-visited wilderness enclaves also shelter rare moon bears, golden monkeys, shaggy takin, blue sheep and exquisite birds, including the golden pheasant. Discover a side of China most travelers never see on our unique itinerary, carefully crafted to reveal rarely seen panda habitat, up-close encounters with pandas, and Chinese nature at its most captivating. Trip Highlights Get close to giant pandas and learn about their conservation at three world-renowned panda research bases—plus a chance to volunteer in their care.

Travel deep into the distant mountains and forests of Sichuan and the Tibetan Plateau where we search for rare and endangered species found nowhere else on Earth Exclusive permits grant us access into a remote, rarely visited wildlife reserve where we may find signs of some of the last wild giant pandas that live and breed freely We Show You the Natural China That Most People Never See! Google “trips to China” and you’ll find plenty that will show you Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. Yet virtually no one offers nature adventures, and no one else takes you to the rare and remote wildlife reserves that we do. Natural Habitat holds special permits that grant us access into a nature sanctuary that few Westerners—and very few local tourists—ever see. With NHA, you'll trade the time you’d spend in crowds, traffic and polluted city air for the beautiful, wild mountain country that our trip showcases. See Giant Pandas Up Close Compare China itineraries—we don't think you'll find another that offers the panda immersion ours does!

We enjoy unhurried visits to three of China's top panda research bases: Chengdu Giant Panda Base, home to approximately 100 giant pandas, where scientists conduct research and facilitate a critical breeding program, Dujiangyan Panda Base, which focuses on rescuing injured and ill wild pandas and disease control, and Dujiangyan Panda Valley, with an emphasis on breeding and releasing pandas back into the wild. Enjoy a Rare Volunteer Opportunity with Pandas At Dujiangyan Panda Valley, you'll have an optional chance for a volunteer experience in which you'll help with aspects of the pandas' care—this could involve preparing their food, cleaning enclosures, and other tasks that will put you directly into the world of the pandas' caregivers at this research base. Please note that we cannot guarantee that this opportunity will always be available. Search for Pandas in the Wild This is a genuine Nat Hab exclusive: We have secured special permits to visit remote sectors of an untouristed wild nature reserve where we search for pandas and moon bears, as well as other rare and beautiful wildlife like takin, serow and golden pheasant, within a completely natural, untouched habitat that few tourists have ever laid eyes on.

Our Small Groups Go Places That Larger Groups Can't Because we limit this trip to approximately 12 guests, we’re able to take you into places where larger bus tours cannot go, including a remote national park where we have exclusive permits to search for wild pandas. Your experience is enhanced greatly by the fact that we keep our group size small! Enjoy Exclusive Access to Search for Rare Wildlife In the wild Minshan Mountains, we explore a forested sanctuary seen by only a handful of Westerners. A global biodiversity hotspot, it’s home to wild giant pandas and some of the world’s most endangered wildlife, including takin and snub-nosed golden monkeys. The terrain is steep and heavily forested, and animals are often sheltered, camouflaged or sometimes seen at a distance, but even knowing that we are in their midst in such a quiet, wild place is a moving experience. Experience Traditional Tibetan Culture Our travels include an overland traverse of the Aba Tibetan & Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, where prayer wheels and chortens dot the landscape. We'll share a meal with a Tibetan family and learn more about this deeply traditional culture—an interesting counterpoint to the other cultural experiences that are part of our journey.

Dine on Some of China's Finest Local Cuisine While nature may be your primary interest, food lovers will be thrilled by the culinary delights offered during this trip! Sichuan province in particular is famed for its savory cuisine, and we take full advantage of opportunities to try a wide selection of restaurants and dishes during our journey, with items carefully selected by our local guide to appeal to western palates. Since food is typically served family-style at a large round table, multiple tastes and dietary preferences can be catered for at any given meal (though be sure to make special needs known to us ahead of time). And never fear that you'll be eating only in hotels or touristy restaurants: we make a special point to choose locations that are popular with local people, for a truly authentic Chinese dining experience that Western visitors will also enjoy. Our Accommodations Offer the Best in Location and Comfort From a 5-star luxury hotel in Chengdu to a quiet mountain inn where other travelers are few, our comfortable lodgings place you in close proximity to famous Chinese landmarks and remote and wild natural settings. Each offers a regional experience of China with plenty of amenities. Travel with Expert Expedition Leaders Our NHA Expedition Leaders are outstanding U.S.

naturalist guides who are passionate about China and its wildlife. In addition, you’ll receive the services of an expert Chinese tour guide, ensuring an optimal balance of expert scientific knowledge, authentic cultural insight and attentive personal service. With the company of additional local guides, we can accommodate varied activities and exertion levels. Furthermore, our Expedition Leaders have the benefit of additional training and resources from WWF's renowned scientists and researchers. See Expedition Leader bios and traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders. Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Outstanding China Tour With Natural Habitat Adventures, you receive our exclusive guarantee that clearly states that we will meet the high expectations we set forth in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise. Feel Good About the Way You Travel We all care about the planet, and you can travel with us knowing that the emissions from your trip are 100-percent carbon-offset. NHA is the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company, a feature that is especially critical when considering the impacts of climate change on habitat for rare and vulnerable wildlife such as the giant panda.

Natural Habitat Adventures Is WWF's Travel Partner Because of our commitment to environmentally friendly travel, as well as the exceptional quality of our small-group nature adventures, World Wildlife Fund, the world’s leading environmental conservation organization, has named Natural Habitat its worldwide travel partner—a designation that makes us exceedingly proud! Reading List Longitude Books has created a custom comprehensive listing of Wild Side of China Wildlife Adventure travel books for this trip. Other Trips You May Enjoy vertical-2up Panda Facts Panda Facts Giant Pandas Giant pandas are black and white bears that live in temperate-zone bamboo forests in central China. Among the best recognized but rarest animals in the world, they have come to symbolize endangered species and conservation efforts. Scientific Classification (Genus and Species, Family, Order): Ailuropoda melanoleuca, Ursidae, Carnivora. Geographic Distribution Giant pandas live in a few mountain ranges in central Chinaï¿½s Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. They once lived in lowland areas, but farming, forest clearing, and other development now restrict giant pandas to the mountains.

Habitat Giant pandas live in broadleaf and coniferous forests with a dense understory of bamboo, at elevations between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Torrential rains or dense mist throughout the year characterizes these forests, often shrouded in heavy clouds. Physical Description A giant panda is bear-like in shape. It has black fur on ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white. Although scientists do not know why these unusual bears are black and white, some speculate that the bold coloring provides effective camouflage into their shade-dappled snowy and rocky surroundings. The panda's thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. Giant pandas have large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing tough bamboo. Many people find these chunky, lumbering animals to be cute, but giant pandas can be as dangerous as any other bear. Size About the size of an American black bear, giant pandas stand between two and three feet tall at the shoulder (on all four legs), and reach four to six feet long. Males are larger than females, weighing up to 250 pounds in the wild.

Females rarely reach 220 pounds. Status The giant panda is listed as endangered in the World Conservation Union's (IUCN's) Red List of Threatened Animals. It is one of the most critically endangered species in the world. There are about 1,000 left in the wild. About 140 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world, mostly in China. Life Span Scientists are not sure how long giant pandas live in the wild, but they are sure it is shorter than lifespans in zoos. Chinese scientists have reported zoo pandas as old as 35. Diet A wild giant pandaï¿½s diet is almost exclusively (99 percent) bamboo. The balance consists of other grasses and occasional small rodents or musk deer fawns. In zoos, giant pandas eat bamboo, sugar cane, rice gruel, a special high-fiber biscuit, carrots, apples, and sweet potatoes. Social Structure Adult giant pandas are generally solitary, but they do communicate periodically through scent marks, calls, and occasional meetings. Offspring stay with their mothers from one and a half to three years.

Giant Panda | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants SPECIES: melanoleuca ABOUT Giant pandas are black and white and loved all over. The giant panda is a national treasure in China and is therefore protected by law in its bamboo forest home. This unique bear has long been revered by the Chinese and can be found in Chinese art dating back thousands of years. The Chinese call their beloved pandas large bear-cats. Giant pandas have also fascinated people living outside of China; French Missionary Pere Armand David first described them for science in 1869. Now, more than 100 years later, the worldwide love for pandas has been combined with international efforts to keep them from becoming extinct. How did the panda get its colors? We aren't exactly sure. One theory is that pandas developed the contrasting black and white colors over time so they would stand out in the forest and be able to find each other to mate. Another idea is that the broad blockings of contrasting color may serve to camouflage the panda in the bamboo or treetops. Anyone who's tried to spot one of our panda cubs up in the tree napping can verify how difficult that can be!

Scientists have yet to confirm what the real purpose of the panda's coloration is. Each panda has markings that are slightly different from any another panda. There is also a rare brown and white variation of the giant panda. Are giant pandas bears? For years scientists have wondered whether pandas are a type of bear, raccoon, or something all their own. Through studying the genetic code (DNA) in pandas’ cells, scientists have confirmed the panda's relationship with bears. Giant pandas are similar to other bears in their general looks, the way they walk and climb, their skull characteristics, and, importantly, their social system and reproductive biology. It's necessary to know that pandas are bears, because the more we know about pandas, the better we can help them reproduce and survive. Pandas are arguably the most vocal of all the bear species. One of the most distinctive of the panda vocalizations is the “bleat.” This sounds similar to the sound a lamb or a goat kid would make, and it’s a friendly sound, a greeting. Pandas don't roar the way you think of a brown bear roaring. Other vocalizations include honks, huffs, barks, and growls. Young cubs are known to croak and squeal.

There are other ways pandas communicate, too. Both male and female pandas have a scent gland underneath their short tail that secretes a waxy substance used to leave scent marks. Pandas scent mark trees, rocks, bamboo, and bushes. The scent is pretty strong. Human noses can smell the stinky, waxy scent mark from about a foot away, but pandas are more sensitive to smell, so to them it's even stronger! We’ve discovered that a scent-marked tree or rock can serve as a community bulletin board, notifying pandas in the area what other pandas have been there and how long ago they left their scent mark. Another panda can detect the sex, age, reproductive condition, social status, and even individual identity of the scent maker—as well as how long that scent has been there. Male pandas often perform “handstands” to leave scent marks. A handstand gets a panda’s rear end higher up the tree, so the scent mark will be higher, too. It seems that pandas are most interested in higher-placed scent marks; the panda with the highest scent mark is obviously the biggest—or at least the tallest—panda.

HABITAT AND DIET Giant pandas live in the mountains of southwestern China, in damp, misty forests, mostly at elevations between 4,000 and 11,500 feet (1,200 to 3,500 meters). They need old-growth conifer forests with at least two bamboo species and water access. These old-growth forests provide old, hollow logs and tree stumps large enough for panda dens. Pandas stay in a home range that’s 3 to 7 square miles (8 to 18 square kilometers). In areas where food isn’t as plentiful, the home range might be a bit larger. Like other bears, pandas spend most of the day eating and sleeping. Bamboo is the most important plant for giant pandas. They spend at least 12 hours each day eating bamboo. Because bamboo is so low in nutrients, pandas eat a lot of it daily. They grasp bamboo stalks using their five digits and a special bone that extends from their wrist called a “pseudo-thumb.” That little pseudo-thumb adeptly holds and manipulates bamboo, almost as well as your thumb does.

Pandas use their teeth to peel off the tough outer layers to reveal the soft inner tissue of the stalk. Strong jawbones and cheek muscles help pandas crush and chew the thick stalks with their flattened back teeth. Bamboo leaves are also on the menu, as pandas strip them off the stalks, wad them up, and eat them. Giant pandas have also been known to eat grasses, bulbs, fruits, some insects, and even rodents and carrion—pretty much whatever they can find. At the San Diego Zoo, pandas are offered bamboo, carrots, yams, apples, and special biscuits designed for leaf-eating animals (called leafeater biscuits) that are made of grain and packed with all the vitamins and minerals pandas need. Pandas are always associated with bamboo, but they need more than just bamboo to make a home. San Diego Zoo scientists have found that suitable panda habitat requires old-growth conifer forests with at least two species of bamboo and water access. Why is old-growth forest habitat important for pandas? It provides old, hollow logs and tree stumps large enough for panda dens, and it also provides shelter and nutrients for the bamboo growing there.

The average panda’s home range is thought to be about 1.9 square miles (5 square kilometers), with male ranges larger than that of females. In areas where bamboo is not plentiful, the home range may be larger. FAMILY LIFE Pandas aren’t party animals by any stretch of the imagination. Like other bears, they spend most of the day eating and sleeping. Wild pandas are solitary by nature, and they take their own “space” seriously! Since a panda needs so much bamboo each day to survive, it only makes sense that two’s a crowd when it comes to the bamboo forest. If two pandas happen to cross paths, they’ll growl, swat, and lunge at each other, and maybe even bite each other. There are two exceptions to this less-than-welcoming attitude: the very brief mating season and mothers with cubs. Although pandas are generally solitary as adults, they are exposed to the scents of other neighboring pandas that have crossed over their path days or weeks before. If a female is starting her estrus soon, it makes sense that she would need to advertise her status to any males that might be in the area.

She scent marks, and a male that comes across her scent a few days later can recognize the change in her status via that scent mark. Our research in Wolong has confirmed that males are more interested in scent from a female who was known to be in estrus at the time she left the scent. Once he has identified this change in a female’s status, a male remains closer to this female, assessing her status more frequently and keeping closer tabs on her so he can be present when she is ready for mating. This is important, as there is only a two- to three-day period that the female is receptive to breeding. When she is no longer receptive, the male moves on to find another willing female. He does not help raise any cubs born. Pandas have a slow reproductive rate: mature females usually breed just once every two or three years. In the wild, a typical female panda may bear about five litters in her lifetime. Giant pandas are only about the size of a stick of butter at birth, and they're hairless and helpless. The panda mother gives great care to her tiny cub, usually cradling it in one paw and holding it close to her chest.

For several days after birth, the mother does not leave the den, not even to eat or drink! The cub's eyes open at 50 to 60 days of age, and by 10 weeks the cub begins to crawl. Its teeth appear by the time it is 14 weeks old, and mother and cub spend much less time using their den. By 21 weeks, the cub is able to walk pretty well. At this time, the cub starts to play with its mother, and at 7 to 9 months of age, it starts attempting to eat bamboo. The cub continues to nurse until about 18 months of age. At this time, the mother is ready to send the cub off on its own, so she can prepare for her next cub. Once a young panda reaches a weight of about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) and is about 2.5 years old, it is probably safe from predators. However, animals such as the golden cat, yellow-throated marten, dhole, and weasel prey on panda cubs and juveniles.

Long ago, panda cubs were also prey to tigers and leopards, as their relatively slow gait on the ground made them easy pickings. To stay safe, solitary cubs scamper high in trees and remain there until their mother returns, spending hours and hours asleep up in those trees. When they are resting quietly in the branches, they can be hard to spot. Even the San Diego Zoo’s cubs can easily be overlooked when sleeping in trees that have been trimmed to allow for better viewing for our guests. Today, pandas have fewer predators than they did historically. Tigers are generally not found in what remains of panda habitat, and leopards are found in reduced numbers. But the drive to remain safe is still the same, and is seen even in pandas housed in zoos and breeding centers. AT THE ZOO The San Diego Zoo has had a love affair with giant pandas ever since two of the black-and-white bears came to visit in 1987 for 100 days. After years of red tape and tons of application paperwork, the Zoo and China agreed on a 12-year research loan of two giant pandas, Bai Yun and Shi Shi, who arrived at the Zoo in 1996.

A brand-new exhibit area was built for our panda guests, which has since been expanded and renovated and is now called the Giant Panda Research Station. In 2008, our panda loan was extended for another five years and was renewed in 2013. Of the six pandas born at our zoo, five now live in China, per our loan agreement, where they continue to make us proud! The San Diego Zoo is currently home to three giant pandas: Bai Yun, Gao Gao, and Xiao Liwu. We grow about 70 different kinds of bamboo and harvest over 700 pounds of bamboo for our pandas every week. It’s a good thing bamboo is a hearty, fast-growing plant! Pandas are powerful and unpredictable wild animals. Our keepers use protected contact with the adult pandas, which means there is always a barrier between panda and keeper. Pandas look cuddly, but they are members of the bear family and should be respected, just as you would respect another bear. Here's some fun info about each one!

Bai Yun (pronounced “by YOON”): Our adult female panda, Bai Yun, was born in September 1991 in a facility in Wolong, China, and was raised by her mother, Dong Dong. Her weight ranges from 198 to 220 pounds (90 to 100 kilograms). Bai Yun is a wonderful ambassador for her species, helping us learn about panda behavior, pregnancy and birth, and maternal care. She’s the mother of Hua Mei, the first surviving giant panda born in the United States. Hua Mei joined the breeding population in China in 2004 and is a mother of eight cubs, including three sets of twins. Bai Yun has been a successful mother of five more cubs, in the meantime: three males and two females. They are: Mei Sheng, 2003; Su Lin, 2005; Zhen Zhen, 2007; Yun Zi, 2009; and Xiao Liwu, 2012, currently living at the Zoo. Keepers and observers all describe Bai Yun as curious, unpredictable, and mischievous.

She sometimes tries to get her keepers to play with her. Bai Yun spends a lot of time checking out the toys she's given to play with: things like large Boomer Balls with apples or carrots inside, a burlap sack stuffed with hay, and fruit-cicles (tubs of apple slices frozen in water). She also seems to enjoy anything scented with cloves, pine, or Polo cologne. Even when she was younger, Bai Yun climbed things. Her name means white cloud, which is appropriate for our tree climber. There are plenty of bent and broken branches in the trees of the enclosures, as proof of her activity. Those rugged climbing structures were constructed for the pandas. Once Bai Yun does get up in a tree, she most likely will fall asleep. For treats, Bai Yun likes apple slices best. Once she’s finished off the apples, she'll eat her other food, which always includes leafeater biscuits and bamboo. Gao Gao (pronounced "Gow Gow"): Gao Gao is our adult male panda. The Chinese word gao translates to “big” in English.

In the winter of 1992, Gao Gao was rescued from the wild with bite wounds on his left ear, and he was having trouble walking. He was brought to China’s Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve Rescue Center in Sichuan Province. It was estimated that he was less than a year old. Since a panda cub typically stays with its mother for up to 18 months, Gao Gao needed some help. In 1996, he was returned to the wild. But within a few months, he began wandering into local villages and raiding their crops. It became apparent that Gao Gao was not a good candidate for release, so he was relocated to China’s Wolong Panda Conservation Center, an organization that the San Diego Zoo has worked with for more than 15 years. In January 2003, Gao Gao arrived in San Diego and spent 30 days in quarantine at the Zoo’s hospital, where veterinarians determined he was in good health. Today his weight is around 180 pounds (about 82 kilograms), which is a bit small for an adult male panda. He is missing a part of one ear, due to his earlier circumstance.

Gao Gao is known for his energy and high level of interest in the world around him, in other pandas, and in his keepers. He seems to enjoy the presence of his keepers and is cooperative and willing to work on his training, even if he does get easily distracted. Just as pandas in the wild do, Gao Gao scent marks his enclosure and his off-exhibit bedroom areas. Scent marking is important for male pandas, as they define their territory by marking trees and rocks, and Gao Gao doesn’t hesitate to claim any place as his own. Gao Gao has proven to be a successful mate for Bai Yun, our adult female. He fathered five of her cubs: Mei Sheng, Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, Yun Zi, and Xiao Liwu. But like all male pandas, Gao Gao is an uninvolved father. After mating, the pandas return to their solitary lifestyles, and panda females raise their cubs alone. Xiao Liwu (pronounced “sshyaoww lee woo”): Our newest panda was born on July 29, 2012.

Panda fans and supporters all over the world have followed the cub's progress online through our blogs, video clips, and live Panda Cam. Mr. Wu, as his keepers affectionately call him, can be seen on exhibit daily. Keepers are now training him for blood draws and blood pressure checks. They say he is the smartest of the six cubs raised here! Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu have temporarily moved to a new habitat, during construction near their regular home at Panda Trek, and can now be seen at the bottom of Center Street, near Sun Bear Trail. They can also be viewed online, on the Zoo's popular Panda Cam. Due to age-related health concerns, Gao Gao will remain behind the scenes in the current panda habitat. CONSERVATION Giant pandas face big problems: Today, only around 1,600 giant pandas survive on Earth. Until 2016, they were categorized as "endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. They are currently listed as "vulnerable," thanks to numerous conservation efforts that have helped to increase their population.

However they, still face many serious threats in the wild: Habitat destruction: Unfortunately for pandas, China’s forests have changed. The country has more than a billion people. And like us, those people have built roads, homes, cities, and farms. They mine, harvest trees, and use other natural resources. The giant panda’s range shrunk as trees were removed in logging operations and land was cleared for farming. In fact, panda-suitable habitat decreased by half between 1974 and 1985. Populations of pandas have become small and isolated, hemmed in by cultivation. Some panda habitat has literally been encircled by farms, villages, and business sites—creating “islands” between which pandas can’t safely move without coming upon human communities or crossing dangerous highways. In some pockets, very few pandas are found. These animals are isolated and cut off from other sources of bamboo—and from other pandas. In some areas, forest clear-cutting has completely removed all large trees—and all appropriate tree and rock den sites. Without a protective den, panda cubs are more susceptible to cold, disease, and predators.

Low reproductive rate: Pandas like to be by themselves most of the year, and they have a very short breeding season, when a male looks for a female to mate with. Females give birth to one or two cubs, which are very dependent on their mother during the first few years of life. In the wild, mother pandas care for only one of the young. In panda facilities in China, keepers help to hand raise any twin cubs; one baby is left with the mother and the keepers switch the twins every few days so each one gets care and milk directly from the mother. Bamboo shortages: When bamboo plants reach maturity, they flower and produce seeds before the mature plant dies. The seeds grow slowly into plants large enough for pandas to eat. Giant pandas can eat 25 different types of bamboo, but they usually eat only the 4 or 5 kinds that grow in their home range. The unusual thing about bamboo is that all of the plants of one species growing in an area bloom and die at the same time. When those plants die, pandas must move to another area. This is why good panda habitat should have several different species of bamboo.

Hunting: When hunters set snares for other animals, like musk deer, the traps can kill pandas instead. Protecting pandas: Panda protection efforts in China began back in 1957, and in 1989, the Chinese Ministry of Forestry and the World Wildlife Fund formulated a management plan for the giant panda and its habitat. It called for reducing human activities in panda habitat, managing bamboo habitat, extending the panda reserve system, and maintaining captive populations of pandas. China's Natural Forest Conservation Program of 1998 provides protection to all remaining forests throughout the panda’s range, which covers about 5.7 million acres (2.3 million hectares). China has set up 65 panda reserves that protect panda habitats from further development. Some are off limits to people completely, while others are shared-use areas like our national forests. Natural corridors connect some reserves to help keep panda populations together. Today, China is currently gaining forestland. The government has started policies like the “Grain-to-Green” program, which gives grain and cash to farmers who abandon farming on steep slopes and replant these areas for natural forests and grasslands. But we’re still not sure if these newly forested areas are suitable for pandas.

It takes an international effort: Back in the 1990s, biologists didn't know if they could save pandas from extinction. Little was known of their behavior in the wild, and pandas did not reproduce well in zoos. Then, San Diego Zoo Global partnered with Chinese colleagues at panda preserves to create a conservation strategy. We developed early-detection pregnancy tests, as well as a milk formula for panda cubs that raised survival rates from zero to 100 percent. Now, we also use GPS technology to track pandas in the wild and learn how far they range. In 2010, we reached the milestone number of 300 pandas in zoos worldwide and breeding centers in China, which researchers believe will ensure a self-sustaining population. We are definitely boosting panda survival rates! There is still much that we don't know about pandas. Our researchers collect two or more hours of data on our pandas' behavior several days a week, and each breeding season, they also collect physiological data. We've learned a lot about basic panda husbandry, veterinary care, and nutrition; panda reproduction; the importance of environmental enrichment; and the significance of chemical communication, or how pandas’ respond to the odors of other pandas.

By gathering data at the San Diego Zoo, where the animals are easy to observe, we gain an understanding of what these animals need to survive in the wild. Working together with Chinese panda experts may help increase the number of giant pandas and ensure the future survival of the giant panda population. A giant panda milk formula created by the Zoo's nutritionist, and a hand-rearing technique developed by the Chinese called "twin swapping," have transformed the survival rate of nursery-reared panda cubs in China from 0 to 95 percent. The giant panda breeding rate at the Wolong Breeding Center in China increased dramatically following multiyear collaborations with the San Diego Zoo. Work by our scientists has advanced pregnancy diagnosis, and the captive population of pandas has reached the milestone of 300 bears, the minimum necessary to sustain genetic diversity for the next 100 years. In 2012, we were honored to receive the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' International Conservation Award along with the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Memphis Zoo, and Zoo Atlanta for our "Scientific Approaches to Conservation of Giant Pandas and Their Habitat." What YOU can do to help pandas: People ask us every day how they can help save pandas.

You can make a big impact by making some simple changes in your daily lifestyle, like knowing where the products you purchase come from, choosing accordingly, and buying fewer things or items with minimal packaging. You can help by choosing wood products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC-certified forest products are from responsibly harvested and verified sources. Look for the FSC certification on bamboo products, too. You can help us bring pandas and other species back from the brink by supporting the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy . Together we can save and protect wildlife around the globe. Sounds

Question: In what country do wild giant pandas live?
Answer: China