Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Giant Panda) Home » Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Giant Panda) Ailuropoda melanoleuca Synonym(s): Ursus melanoleucus David, 1869 Taxonomic Notes: The Qinling Mountains population is a distinctive genetic cluster and is significantly different from other mountain populations (Lü et al. 2001, Zhang, B. et al. 2007), diverging ~0.3 million years ago, corresponding with the onset of the Penultimate Glaciation (Zhao et al. 2013). Some argue that it should be considered a separate subspecies (Wan et al. 2003, 2005), although subspecies designation is controversial and not widely accepted. Nonetheless, there is greater consensus that this population should be managed as a conservation unit to retain genetic structure and any localized adaptation. Vulnerable C2a(i); D1 ver 3.1 Year Published: Swaisgood, R., Wang, D. & Wei, F. Reviewer(s): Rong, H.

Justification: The Fourth National Survey (2011-2014) produced an estimated range-wide population of 1,864 Giant Pandas, excluding dependent young <1.5 years of age (State Forestry Administration 2015). Although no formal demographic analysis is available, there are demographic data available to enable estimation of age-related population composition (Sichuan Forestry Department 2015): if the population consists of 9.6% cubs, then the total population of Pandas is approximately 2,060. Mature adults are estimated to compose 50.5% of the total population, yielding an estimate of 1,040. Although this estimate does not contain confidence intervals, clearly the lower confidence interval would fall below 1,000 mature individuals, which meets the small population size criteria (D1) for Vulnerable. Additionally, the species falls under criteria C2. The Panda population is fragmented into subpopulations, each of which contains <1,000 adults (given that the total population is <1,000 adults); however, the size of the largest population is unknown given uncertainty in how much connectivity remains.

It appears that at least one distinct populations in the Minshan mountains contains >400 mature individuals (State Forestry Administration 2015), so the species does not meet the criteria for Endangered (EN). The most tentative part of listing under C2 is a continued population decline. Evidence from a series of range-wide national surveys indicate that the previous population decline has been arrested, and the population has started to increase (State Forestry Administration 2015). Although inconsistencies in data collection methods, analysis, and sampling area make direct comparisons from survey results difficult, population estimates have consistently increased across survey since the Second National Survey conducted during 1985-1988. Initial uncertainties regarding whether modest population increases observed in the Third National Survey (2000-2004) were real warranted maintaining the Endangered status for the Giant Panda in the previous Red List assessment. Recent data from the Fourth National Survey (2011-2014) remove this uncertainty (State Forestry Administration 2015), and it is widely believed that the population has stabilized and has begun to increase in many parts of the range.

An increase in available habitat and an expanding occupied range provide further support for the contention that Panda numbers are increasing. Forest protection and reforestation measures have increased forest cover in China (FAO 2010), and have supported an 11.8% increase in occupied habitat and 6.3% increase in unoccupied but suitable habitat between the Third and Fourth National Surveys (State Forestry Administration 2015). A survey of expert opinion among Giant Panda experts in the IUCN Bear Specialist Group was consistent with the results of the national survey: all believed that the Panda population was stable or increasing and that available habitat was increasing. Although the population is currently increasing, climate change is predicted to eliminate >35% of the Panda's bamboo habitat in the next 80 years, and thus the Panda population is projected to decline (Fan et al. 2012, Songer et al. 2012, Tuanmu et al. 2013, Li, R. et al. 2015). Under this scenario, the species fits the criteria for VU under C2a(i).

Whereas the decision to downlist the Giant Panda to Vulnerable is a positive sign confirming that the Chinese government's efforts to conserve this species are effective, it is critically important that these protective measures are continued and that emerging threats are addressed. The threat of declining bamboo availability due to climate change could, in the near future, reverse the gains made during the last two decades. The Giant Panda will remain a conservation-dependent species for the foreseeable future. The Chinese government's plant to expand existing conservation policy for the species (State Forestry Administration 2015) should receive strong support to ensure its implementation. Previously published Red List assessments: 2008 – Endangered (EN) Geographic Range [top] Range Description: Once widespread throughout southern China, and as far north as Beijing and south into Southeast Asia, the Panda’s distribution is now confined to its previous western extremity in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Pleistocene range shifts were associated with the disappearance of the Panda’s principal source of food, bamboo, due to warming climate; whereas rapid range contraction in the past several hundred years is attributed to the conversion of bamboo forests to agricultural cultivation and rapid expansion of human populations (Li et al. 2015).

The largest populations are currently found in the Minshan, Qinling, Qionglai mountain ranges, and smaller, more isolated populations remain in the Liangshan, Daxiangling, and Xiaoxiangling mountain ranges (State Forestry Administration 2015). The Giant Panda’s range is highly fragmented, resulting from centuries of human encroachment and loss of forested habitat at lower elevations. Rapidly expanding industrialization, beginning in the early 1900s and accelerating since 1949, is associated with severe contraction of the Panda’s range (Zhu et al. 2013, Li et al. 2015). While they once occupied forests below 1,000 m in elevation, current populations are restricted to mountain ranges, separated by valleys and flatter landscapes that have been altered by human activities. China lost more than 30% of its forests between 1950 and 2004, coinciding with a precipitous drop in Panda populations, but forest cover has increased in the past two decades (FAO 2010).

Countries occurrence: Population [top] Population: The Giant Panda is the subject of one of the largest, most intensive efforts to estimate population size for an entire species. The Chinese government has carried out four national surveys, approximately every 10 years since 1974. The most recent, the Fourth National Survey conducted from 2011 to 2014, mobilized more than 2,000 people who spent more than 60,000 person-days surveying 4.36 million ha. The population estimates derived from these surveys should be considered rough estimates due to difficulty associated with extrapolating sign survey data to determine the number of individuals. Idiosyncratic feeding styles among individual pandas produce bamboo fragments that vary somewhat distinctively in size (“bite-size”) between individuals and thus provide some information that helps distinguish faeces from different individuals, especially when combined with information about home range size. However, as a population census tool, this method has never been fully validated (Pan et al. 2014). Evidence suggests that sign survey data may have under-estimated population size in one reserve (Zhan et al. 2006, Wei et al.

2012), but it is not known to what extent these findings can be extrapolated to other reserves. Although DNA has been extracted from faeces collected during the Fourth National Survey, these data have not yet yielded a population estimate because most of the faeces collected were not sufficiently fresh to provide adequate DNA. Thus, the best available population estimate for the species relies on bite-size analysis. Another limitation of the national survey data is that the methods have been altered and improved since they commenced in 1974, and the range and effort of the survey have been inconsistent. The same methods were used for the third and fourth national surveys; although survey effort increased in the fourth survey, most of this increase can be attributed to the larger area covered to capture the expanding range that Pandas now occupy. Thus, comparisons between surveys may not be completely valid, but they are still informative. The first survey (1974–1977) produced an estimate of 2,459 pandas, which decreased dramatically in the second survey (1985–1988) to 1,216 individuals.

This approximately 50% drop in population size provided the impetus for the 1988 Wildlife Protection act, which banned Panda poaching, and China’s National Conservation Project for the Giant Panda and its Habitat, which established a reserve system for Pandas (Reid and Gong 1999). By the time of the third survey (2000–2004), the population estimate increased to 1,596, indicating that these protective measures may have been successful. However, uncertainties remained due to the inconsistencies in the methods by which the surveys were implemented (as well as a lack of confidence limits on the point estimates). Although these same limitations still apply, the recent fourth survey showed the Panda population increased further to 1,864, removing most remaining uncertainties regarding population trend. Additionally, Pandas have been documented in many areas outside their known range, including an animal shot in 2015 in Yunnan Province, where they have not been recorded for centuries. An increasing population was not surprising, given that available and occupied habitats have increased.

The optimism engendered by these positive trends is dampened by evidence indicating that some Panda populations are decreasing, particularly those found in the smallest and most degraded habitat patches such as Liangshan, Xiangling and Niuweihe. Approximately 223 pandas occupying 23 isolated habitat patches are considered at high risk of local extinction, and will require increased protection and management (Zhu et al. 2010, 2011b; State Forestry Administration 2015). Current Population Trend: Habitat and Ecology [top] Habitat and Ecology: A member of the order Carnivora, Giant Pandas have evolved to specialize on a diet of bamboo (Schaller et al. 1985). Bamboo is a poor food source, low in protein and high in lignin and cellulose, and wild Giant Pandas can only digest an average of 17% of dry matter and about 27% of hemi-cellulose (Dierenfeld et al. 1982, Schaller et al. 1985).

Thus, to meet their daily energy requirement, Giant Pandas must consume a large amount of bamboo, up to 12.5 kg per day, and defecate more than 100 times daily (Schaller et al. 1985). Pandas have large, muscular jaws with skeletal features to accommodate the musculature and its famous “pseudothumb” used to hold and manipulate bamboo for processing. However, compared with other herbivores, the Panda has very low digestive efficiency because its digestive tract still resembles that of its carnivorous ancestors. The Panda’s feeding strategy emphasizes volume, requiring it to allocate much of its time to foraging (approximately 14 hours daily). While morphological and behavioural adaptations provide some compensation for poor digestive efficiency, the Panda’s ability to survive on such a low-quality food source remained mysterious for decades. Even whole-genome sequencing found no specific genes responsible for the digestion of cellulose and hemi-cellulose (Li et al. 2010). An explanation was uncovered in a recent metagenomics study that found the Panda’s gut microbes play an important role in digesting bamboo fibers (Zhu et al. 2011a).

Additional adaptations to poor quality diet are found in the Panda’s extreme strategy of energy conservation, with daily energy expenditure comparable to that of a sloth or reptile (Nie et al. 2015). Pandas demonstrate a suite of adaptations to reduce energy expenditure. The thick pelage conserves energy lost through body heat, and it has long been known that pandas are conservative in movement and physical activity. Smaller than expected organs also are indicative of energy-conservation adaptation, and down-regulation of resting metabolic rate has been achieved through a mutation in the synthesis pathway for thyroid hormones. Giant Pandas also compensate for digestive inefficiency by selecting the most nutritious parts of bamboo plants and by altering diet selection seasonally commensurate with changes in nutritional profiles of bamboo species (Schaller et al. 1985, Pan et al. 2014, Wei et al. 1999, Nie et al. 2014, Wei et al. 2015b). They demonstrate strong preference for seasonally available new bamboo shoots, rich in nutrition and energy and low in fibre.

Outside the late spring bamboo shoot season, Pandas favour leaves, although more stems are incorporated into their diet during the winter months when leaf quality and quantity diminishes. This convergence of foraging strategies across variations in climate, bamboo species, and topographic profile indicates an adaptive strategy that serves the species well. Still, as an energy-limited species that spends more than 50% of its time foraging, Panda numbers may be limited by the availability of high quality bamboo and the time required to process bamboo in the digestive system. Early coarse-scale radio tracking using VHF transmitters provided foundational data on home range size and documented the solitary nature of the Panda’s existence (Schaller et al. 1985, Yong et al. 1994, Pan et al. 2014). Although Panda home ranges overlap generously, direct encounters between individuals are rare. Seasonal elevational migration has been documented in the Qionglai (Schaller et al. 1985) and Qinling mountains (Yong et al. 1994, Liu et al. 2002, Pan et al. 2014).

At both sites, the seasonal movements track changes in resources, providing access to bamboo species that provide greater nutritional value. Research integrating behavioural, nutritional, and movement data provide new insights into these seasonal migration patterns, demonstrating that these movements facilitate consumption of higher concentrations and/or a more balanced intake of key nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Calcium (Ca) (Nie et al. 2014). Female-biased dispersal has been demonstrated with genetic data in the Minshan and Liangshan Mountains (Zhan et al. 2007, Hu et al. 2010). Fine-scale documentation of |Panda movement behaviour had to await the advent of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Published accounts using high-resolution GPS telemetry revised and added to previous findings (Zhang et al. 2014, Hull et al. 2015). VHF-based radio tracking inevitably leads to large amounts of missing data when animals at more distant locations are not detected, thus it is unsurprising that GPS tracking substantively revised home range size upwards, and that core area overlap and opportunity for social interactions is now understood to be greater than previously believed.

Other interesting phenomena were also detected, such as the documentation of female-biased dispersal (confirmed with genetic data; Zhan et al. 2007), and sudden, large movements that temporarily took a female far outside of her home range during the mating season. Fine-scale movement data showed that Pandas exhibited individualistic and multiphasic movement paths within seasonal core habitats and large-scale movements between habitats. Tortuous movement paths indicated when pandas searched for and found foraging resources. Pandas frequently return to the same foraging patches, indicating that they likely have well-developed spatial memory. Using various measures of habitat suitability, efforts to map Panda habitat have proven valuable for guiding the establishment of the Panda reserve system (Shen et al. 2008, Feng et al. 2009, Qi et al. 2012). Giant Pandas typically occupy temperate montane forests at altitudes of 1,500–3,000 m (Hu and Wei 2004). Range-wide analysis of ecological covariates associated with Panda presence suggested that Giant Pandas are associated with old growth forests, a finding previously unrecognised in studies implemented on smaller spatial scales (Zhang et al.

2011). As an obligate bamboo specialist, the Giant Panda’s reliance on this resource is clear, yet it has usually been ignored in habitat suitability models because mapping bamboo understory using remote sensing techniques is difficult (Linderman et al. 2005). Including understory bamboo in habitat models dramatically decreases estimates of available habitat and increases measures of fragmentation. Advances in remote sensing techniques, such as Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Wide Dynamic Range Vegetation Index (WDRVI), combined with new analytical techniques, such as artificial neural network analysis, have helped remove obstacles to including bamboo understory in maps of habitat suitability (Wang et al. 2009; Viña et al. 2008, 2010). Enhanced understanding of Panda habitat requirements and improvements in mapping technologies provide managers and policy makers with better tools for conservation decision-making (Loucks et al. 2003, Xu et al. 2006, Swaisgood et al. 2011, Qi et al. 2012).

Giant Pandas are a solitary and seasonal-breeding mammal, only coming together during the breeding season, from March to May, for reproductive purposes (Schaller et al. 1985, Pan et al. 2014, Nie et al. 2012b). Male Pandas occupy large home ranges overlapping several females and are known to congregate around oestrous females. Male Pandas are able to locate females across large areas, and demonstrate fierce and injurious aggression in competition for access to females. Early in these encounters escalated aggression is common, but, in a possible strategy to conserve energy and minimize risk of injury, once dominance is established, contact aggression is largely replaced with non-contact aggression. Individual males are able to locate and mate with multiple females sequentially, so the mating system might be considered scramble competition polygyny. Because Pandas live a solitary existence, they must rely heavily on chemosignals to communicate with one another without necessitating face-to-face encounters. Giant Pandas make use of a system of traditional communal scent mark stations that provide them with reliable locations they can visit to deposit signals and investigate signals left by other Pandas (Schaller et al. 1985).

Studies documenting habitat characteristics of preferred marking sites, including tree species and microhabitat (Nie et al. 2012a), extend our understanding of habitat requirements for the species. If habitat that promotes communication is not maintained, then poor communication may hinder breeding in the wild, as has been shown for captive Pandas (Swaisgood et al. 2004). Denning ecology is an important field of study among ursids, and other species giving birth in dens, because access to adequate dens can be important for offspring survival. Forest management practices that affect the availability of suitable dens can either significantly harm or enhance cub survival (White et al. 2001). Ursid young, being extremely altricial, are particularly vulnerable. The Giant Panda lies at the extreme end of this continuum, with the mother weighing nearly 1,000 times the cub’s weight at birth (Gittleman 1994). Den quality may therefore be critical for Pandas. Giant Pandas do not hibernate, but females use rock caves or tree cavities to rear offspring that are produced every 2–3 years (Schaller et al. 1985, Pan et al.

2014, Zhu et al. 2001). Preferred dens are characterized by a small opening to buffer against the elements and provide a warmer and drier environment for rearing offspring (Zhang et al. 2007). Dens tend to be located close to water, presumably so the mother can leave the vulnerable cub (almost always a single cub) unattended for a shorter period of time while she drinks. It has also been proposed that tree dens, once more numerous in primary forests before logging converted many forests in Panda habitat to second growth, are a limiting resource for Giant Pandas (Zhang et al. 2011). The importance of this resource may explain why national survey data indicate that pandas are more often found in primary than secondary forest. It was once believed, and sometimes still mis-stated, that Pandas’ biological deficiencies were responsible for their own decline. Because of early problems with captive breeding, Pandas gained a reputation for having notoriously low levels of interest in mating; however, Pandas in the wild experience no mating problems and have high reproductive rates (Wei and Hu 1994, Pan et al. 2014).

Once a better understanding of the biology and behaviour of the species was incorporated into husbandry practices, captive Pandas began to mate naturally and experienced exponential population growth (Swaisgood et al. 2006, Zhang and Wei 2006, Martin-Wintle et al. 2016). Moreover, its well-known specialization on bamboo is not (as once thought) an evolutionary cul de sac, as it opens up a foraging niche with plentiful resources and few competitors (Wei et al. 2014). Dietary specialization is often seen as an extinction risk factor, but this may not be the case for the Panda, which specializes on widespread and abundant bamboo. Thus, pandas are well-adapted to their environment and have reproductive rates sufficiently high to explain the recovery of populations once bans on poaching and habitat restoration efforts commenced (Wei et al. 2014). Systems: Use and Trade [top] Use and Trade: Although historically the Giant Panda was sometimes hunted for its pelt, law enforcement mechanisms appear to have eliminated this trade.

Threats [top] Major Threat(s): The primary threat facing Giant Panda populations is the continuing effects of previous habitat loss, resulting in highly fragmented habitat and, in many cases small, isolated populations. According to the Fourth National Survey (State Forestry Administration 2015), the Panda population is composed of as many as 33 subpopulations, 18 of which contain fewer than 10 individuals. The extent to which these are demographically separate populations remains uncertain, but this fragmentation certainly increases vulnerability to extinction through environmental and demographic stochasticity and loss of genetic diversity. Although microsatellite analysis (Lü et al. 2001, Zhang, B. et al. 2007, Shan et al. 2014) and genomics (Li et al. 2010, Zhao et al. 2013) have now determined that the Giant Panda has substantial genetic variability, without increased migration and connectivity, many of these smaller populations will have rapidly eroding evolutionary potential. Three genetic clusters have been recognized: the Qinling Mountains population (Lü et al. 2001, Zhang, B. et al.

2007) which diverged ~0.3 million years ago; the Mishan mountains, which diverged ~2,800 years ago into the Mishan and Qionglai populations (Zhang, B. et al. 2007, Zhao et al. 2013); and the other four combined populations, including Qionglai, Daxiangling, Xiaoziangling, and Liangshan (Zhan et al. 2013). However, in this larger cluster, further sub-structuring is manifest (Zhang, B. et al. 2007, Zhu et al. 2011b). Population divergence is the product of several operating factors, including climate change, natural barriers, and anthropogenic habitat loss. Threats associated with edge effects, human disturbance, and small population size are most severe in these small, isolated populations. Increased fragmentation from roads, hydroelectric dams, mining, and other infrastructure projects further threaten Panda populations (State Forestry Administration 2015), but these trends are partially counterbalanced through the successful implementation of ecocompensation programs that curtail some activities such as fuel wood collection (Viña et al.

2007) and efforts to increase habitat connectivity between some populations (Wang et al. 2014, Wei et al. 2015a). Tourism is increasing in some areas and if not managed properly, could negatively impact Panda populations (Liu et al. 2012). Pathogens and parasites may be an emerging problem compromising Giant Panda health and survival, particularly in areas where dogs, livestock, and other domesticated animals may introduce novel pathogens (Qin et al. 2010; Zhang, L. et al. 2011, 2015). Air- or water-borne environmental contaminants may also exert negative impacts on Panda populations, but little is known about their prevalence. Livestock grazing, inside and outside of protected areas, represents another, potentially growing threat (Hull et al. 2014, Wang et al. 2015). It should also be noted that protected status of nature reserves does not always confer protection, and some threats have continued even after Panda reserves were gazetted (Liu et al. 2001). These continuing human activities may have cumulative effects that further degrade Panda habitat.

Pandas' reliance on bamboo as a primary food source puts them at risk during this plant's characteristic mass synchronous flowering and die-off events, which occur at intervals of 15 to 100 years (Schaller et al. 1985, Reid et al. 1989). Before human expansion confined Pandas to high elevations, Pandas had access to more species of bamboo adapted to different elevation zones. When one bamboo species experienced a die-off, Pandas could easily migrate up or down slope to access a different species that was not affected. Confined to its more limited elevation range today, Pandas are sometimes put at risk of starvation, especially when more than one bamboo species flowers at the same time. Although past bamboo die-off events were alarming and caused starvation and mortalities in Pandas, populations recovered (Pan et al. 2014) and these population bottlenecks did not compromise genetic diversity (Zhu et al. 2013). These primary threats associated with habitat fragmentation and degradation may be exacerbated by climate change-mediated effects on Panda habitat in the future.

Several models indicate significant losses to Giant Panda habitat, with estimates of loss of bamboo habitat ranging from 37% to 100% by the end of the century (Fan et al. 2012, Songer et al. 2012, Tuanmu et al. 2013, Li, R. et al. 2015). Although these models are simplifying and may not adequately account for distributional shifts of bamboo species adapted to lower elevations and southern latitudes to replace current habitat that might be lost (Wei et al. 2015a), managers should be concerned about large-scale environmental changes facing Panda populations in the future. In addition, climate change may alter the agricultural value of current Giant Panda habitat and bring about intensified human pressure for cultivation. For example, some models indicate that much of Panda habitat will become suitable for viticulture, a high-value crop (Hannah et al. 2013). Although poaching impacted Pandas in the past (Li et al. 2003), its impact declined rapidly since the enactment of the Wildlife Protection Act, which bans poaching and carries severe punishments.

However, Pandas may sometimes be caught in snares set for musk deer or other species. Conservation Actions [top] Conservation Actions: The Giant Panda has been the focus of one of the most intensive, high profile efforts to recover an endangered species. In 1981, China joined the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which made trade of Panda skins illegal. Enactment of the 1988 Wildlife Protection Law banned poaching and conferred protected status to the Giant Panda (listed as Category I, the highest level of protection). The National Conservation Project for the Giant Panda and its Habitat of 1992 laid out a masterplan for Panda conservation and established a Panda reserve system, which today has grown to 67 reserves. Enlarged by more than 50% since the Third National Survey, this reserve system currently protects 67% of the Panda population and nearly 1.4 million hectares of Panda habitat (State Forestry Administration 2015).

The biological diversity of these reserves is unparalleled in the temperate world and rivals that of tropical ecosystems (Mackinnon 2008), thus making the Panda an excellent example of an umbrella species conferring protection on many other sympatric species (Noss 1990). These efforts to end poaching and protect Panda habitat played a significant role in Panda recovery. The Chinese government also invested in infrastructure and capacity building for reserve staff, established anti-poaching patrol, curtailed human activities inside reserves, and in some cases relocated human settlements from inside to outside of reserves. Other measures directed at broader conservation problems also benefited the Panda. The Natural Forest Conservation Program was implemented in 1997 to reduce the devastating impacts of flooding on human communities due to deforestation and erosion. The program banned logging in most forests in Panda habitat, slowing habitat degradation. Additionally, the Grain-to-Green Program incentivized farmers to plant trees on steep slopes to slow erosion. The result of these policies was the addition of 3 million hectares of forest cover in China annually, an increase of 1.6% per year from 2000 to 2010 (FAO 2010).

As a consequence, Panda habitat is recovering and the total occupied habitat has increased by 11.8% between the Third and the Fourth National Surveys; an additional 6.3% increase in suitable but unoccupied habitat was also observed. In the Wolong Nature Reserve, implementation of the Grain-to-Green Program brought about measurable increases in connectivity of Panda habitat (Viña et al. 2007). Thus, these habitat conservation policies are associated with increasing Panda population size, increasing range, and better habitat connectivity. Efforts have also commenced to restore habitat corridors (Wang et al. 2014, Wei et al. 2015a) and to reintroduce captive-born pandas to increase genetic diversity in small, isolated populations. Ecocompensation has been proposed as an important component of a conservation strategy for pandas (Yang et al. 2013, 2015; Liu et al. 2008, 2015; Tuanmu et al. 2015). Approximately 15% of the remaining unprotected habitat occurs in collectively-owned forests.

Payment for ecosystem services, which has already been shown to benefit Panda conservation under the Grain-to-Green Program, could extend conservation measures into these unprotected areas. Finally, the Giant Panda has been the beneficiary of a massive scientific effort conducted in partnerships between the Chinese government and institutions and international conservation NGOs and zoos (Swaisgood et al. 2010, Wei et al. 2015a, State Forestry Administration 2015). Once poorly understood, there has been an explosion of scientific studies across many disciplines, and this knowledge has increasingly been applied management and policy decisions. Future directions would benefit from even better coordination between science and policy, and the application of adaptive management principles in which experiments are conducted to evaluate management actions that may increase carrying capacity inside protected areas (Swaisgood et al. 2011, Wei et al. 2015a). China's State Forestry Administration, while rightfully proud of its accomplishments, fully realizes that more work needs to be done to further Panda conservation and to avoid losing ground so painstakingly gained. They plant to continue investing in habitat protection, population monitoring, and protection patrols, and to further develop capacity of reserve staff (State Forestry Administration 2015).

They recognize the challenges the future holds, and in particular will seek to address problems of habitat connectivity and population fragmentation. Errata [top] Errata reason: Typo in the conservation actions section that read "The Giant Panda has been the focus of none of the most intensive" changed none to one. Citation: Swaisgood, R., Wang, D. & Wei, F. 2016. Ailuropoda melanoleuca. (errata version published in 2016) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T712A102080907. . Downloaded on 20 January 2017. Disclaimer: ADW: Ailuropoda melanoleuca: INFORMATION 3937.01 to 12795.28 ft Physical Description In general, A. melanoleuca has a round head, stocky body, and short tail. The shoulder height is 65-70 cm. It is well-known for its distinctive black and white markings. The limbs, eyes, ears, and shoulders are all black and the rest of the body is white.

In some areas the black actually has a chesnut-red tinge. The dark markings around the eyes may be the reason for these animals' popularity giving them a wide-eyed, juvenile appearance. An enlarged shoulder and neck region along with a smaller back end gives giant pandas an ambling gait. A baculum (bony rod in soft tissue of penis) is present as in many other mammals. However, in other bears it is straight and forwardly directed, while in giant pandas it is "S" shaped and backwardly directed. Giant pandas also have several adaptations to the skull. They have a large sagittal crest that has become wider and deeper resulting in powerful jaws. The molars and premolars are wider and flatter than other bears' and they have developed extensive ridges and cusps in order to grind tough bamboo. A notable feature on these animals is an extra, opposable digit on the hand known as "the panda's thumb." It has caused confusion in the past as to these bears' classification.

This digit is not actually a thumb but a pad of skin overlying a radial sesamoid structure (wrist bone) (Ward and Kynaston, 1995; Helin et al., 1999). Other Physical Features 4.92 to 5.91 ft Reproduction Females in this species increase their scent markings as well as become more vocal when sexually receptive. A study between sexually active and sexually inactive pandas suggested that scent markings relate to sexual activity and captive inhabitance could be the cause for the poor reproductive ability. Males may also compete for access to a female (Liu et al., 1998; Ward and Kynaston, 1995). Mating occurs from March to May. The female is in estrous for roughly 1-3 days. There is usually a delay of implantation which can last 1.5 months to 4 months. This may be due to climatic conditions so that the young is born at a fairly stable time. Females are less active as estrous begins, however they become restless, lose their appetite, and their vulva swells. Most of the young are born in August and September.

Actual embryonic development lasts about 1.5 months. At birth, giant pandas, like all other bears are blind and helpless; but unlike most bears at birth, giant panda cubs are covered with a thin layer of fur. Newborn cubs weigh 85 to 140 grams. Immediately after birth the mother helps place the infant bear into a position to suckle. Suckling takes place up to 14 times a day and lasts for periods of up to 30 minutes. Infant pandas open their eyes at 3 weeks and cannot move around on their own until 3-4 months and are weaned at about 46 weeks. A cub may remain with its mother up to 18 months (Massicot, 2001; Helin et al., 1999; Ward and Kynaston, 1995). Breeding these bears in captivity has been an incredible challenge. Giant pandas are notorious for their reluctance to breed in captivity (Helin et al., 1999; Milius, 2001; Ward and Kynaston, 1995).

( Helin, 1999 ; Massicot, July 29, 2001 ; Ward and Kynaston, 1995 ) Key Reproductive Features Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male) 5.5 to 6 years It has been found from studying giant pandas in captivity that they have twins more often than previously thought--roughly half the time. The mother usually selects one and the other dies shortly after (Milius, 2001). Parental Investment female parental care Lifespan/Longevity One giant panda lived to an age of about 34 years in captivity but that is uncommon. Normal max life expectancy in captivity is 26 years, surprisingly it is sometimes as much as 30 years. Lifespan in the wild is not known (Massicot, 2001; Helin et al., 1999; Word Wildlife Fund, 2001). Range lifespan chemical Food Habits Giant pandas have an extremely strict energy budget. They travel little and are usually foraging when they do move. Giant pandas can spend 10-12 hours a day feeding.

Bamboo, the main source of pandas' diet (over 99%) is a very poor nutritional source but present all year round. Only about 17% of the nutrients found in the leaves and stalks are extracted. These bears make a trade-off to have a plentiful, easily obtained food source but with low nutritional value. Giant pandas are well-known for their upright feeding position which leaves their forelegs free to handle the bamboo stalks. This species has several special characteristics related to eating bamboo. The extra digit on the panda's hand helps the panda in tearing the bamboo. This adaptation also allows increased dexterity while handling bamboo. The stomach walls are extremely muscular to help digest the woody diet; and the gut is covered with a thick layer of mucus to protect against splinters (Ward and Kynaston, 1995; Malius, 2001; Massicot, 2001). Foods eaten include: bamboo stems and shoots, fruits of plant matter like kiwi, small mammals, fish and insects. Primary Diet fruit Predation The black and white markings on giant pandas may have served as an anti-predator device in the past when the animals had predation pressure.

The black and white pattern might have broken up the outline the bears presented, similar to the effect of zebra stripes. Also, in the past, when these pandas inhabited snowier areas, the white may have helped these bears blend into the surroundings. However, today giant pandas live in almost snow free areas. Fortunately no more natural predators exist for pandas today (Ward and Kynaston, 1995). Known Predators No natural enemies today but possibly in the past animals such as tigers Ecosystem Roles Giant panda population is closely tied to bamboo abundance and vice versa. Pandas help to distribute the bamboo seeds over areas. However, as panda numbers dwindle so does bamboo, making it harder for them to find food. Panda protected areas help to protect native ecosystems. ( World Wildlife Fund, 2001 ) Ecosystem Impact disperses seeds Economic Importance for Humans: Positive Giant pandas have been hunted for their fur. In recent years the pelt has been considered a valuable sleeping mat; it is comfortable but also believed to have supernatural markings which prevent ghosts and help predict the future through dreams. A panda skin is highly valued--in Japan it carries a price tag equal to $176,000.

Giant pandas are also popular zoo exhibits attracting many people. ( Ward and Kynaston, 1995 ) Positive Impacts research and education Economic Importance for Humans: Negative There are no real negative economic impacts of giant pandas on humans, primarily because of their rarity. Panda preserves occupy land that might be considered valuable for harvesting, but the presence of pandas and their economic impact through tourism and preservation of ecosystems is likely to more than make up for any negative impact of reduced development. Conservation Status Threats to this species include poaching, habitat loss, human encroachment, and trouble breeding in captivity. Tourism around giant pandas' habitat means more hotels, waste disposal systems, cars, buses, etc. and less room for pandas. Remaining bamboo forests in China only support about 1,000 wild pandas. Thirteen panda reserves totaling an area of 6,227 square km make up half of the remaining habitat. Also, the habitat has been broken into about 20 different separate patches. The pandas have trouble migrating from one site to another. Although efforts are showing improvement compared to earlier years, the zoo population of about 100 pandas worldwide has yet to produce enough cubs to maintain itself.

The first successful panda breeding came in 1980 at the Mexico City Zoo, however the infant died after 8 days. In August 1999 another cub was born at San Diego Zoo and seems to be flourishing. To protect the population in the wild, the Chinese government has many anti-poaching laws. Some violators of these laws have even been sentenced to death. In October 1989 the first executions for trading panda skins took place. China has also stopped commercial logging. In 1986 an education campaign took place among 5,000 villages. It attempted to teach farmers and villagers about panda protection and discourage them from cutting bamboo. In 1992 the Chinese government approved the National Conservation Program for the Giant Panda and its Habitat. Since the 1980s many programs have been put in place attempting to save these great animals. Success to breed them in captivity is looking more hopeful but in the wild the numbers are still low.

Recent Chinese studies have shown that panda populations have actually been stable for 20 years, but all this effort still may not be enough to save this species (Ward and Kynaston, 1995; World Wildlife Fund, 2001; Massicot, 2001) Appendix I Other Comments There is an ancient Chinese story about how giant pandas got their unique markings. A young girl who was a friend of these bears died and the pandas were struck with sorrow. They wept at the funeral and rubbed their eyes with their arms. The dark color from their arm bands was wiped onto their eyes. The bears then hugged themselves and marked their ears, shoulders, hind legs and rumps, resulting in the pattern seen today. The classification of A. melanoleuca has been a difficult one for researchers to agree upon. Giant pandas have several characteristics in common, like bamboo eating, with red pandas, who have sometimes been considered to be members of the raccoon family (but currently are also classified with bears). Today it is widely accepted with little doubt that that giant pandas belong to the bear family (Ward and Kynaston, 1995).

Contributors LeeAnn Bies (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Cynthia Sims Parr (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Glossary altricial young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching. bilateral symmetry having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria. chemical uses touch to communicate temperate that region of the Earth between 23.5 degrees North and 60 degrees North (between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle) and between 23.5 degrees South and 60 degrees South (between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle). viviparous reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female. References Ding-Zhen, L., F. Ji-Ming, S. Ru-Yong, Z. Gui-Quan, W.

Rong-Ping. 1998. Behavioral comparison in individuals of different sexual ability in giant panda. Acta Zoologica Sinica, 44(1): 27-34. Helin, S. 1999. The Mammalian of China. Beijing China: China Forestry Publishing House. Massicot, P. July 29, 2001. "Animal Info-Giant Panda" (On-line). Accessed October 3, 2001 at #Countries . Milius, S. Jan. 27, 2001. The lives of pandas. Science News, 159(4): 61(3). Ward, P., S. Kynaston. 1995. Bears of the World. London: Blandford. World Wildlife Fund, 2001. "Endangered Species: Panda Conservation" (On-line). Accessed (Date Unknown) at . Giant Panda - Ailuropoda melanoleuca Giant Panda By Laura Klappenbach Updated March 21, 2016.

Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are bears that are well known for their distinct black and white coloration. They have black fur on their limbs, ears, and shoulders. Their face, belly, and the middle of their back is white and they have black fur around their eyes. The reason for this unusual color pattern is not fully understood, although some scientists have suggested it provides camouflage in the dappled, shady environments of the forests in which they live. Giant pandas have a body shape and build that is typical of most bears. They are roughly the size of an American black bear. Giant pandas do not hibernate. Giant pandas are the rarest species in the bear family. They inhabit the broadleaf and mixed forests where bamboo is present, in southsest China. Giant pandas are usually solitary animals. When they encounter other pandas, they sometimes communicate using calls or scent marks. Giant pandas have a sophisticated sense of smell and they use scent marking to recognize and define their territories. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Young giant pandas are born quite helpless. Their eyes remain closed for the first eight weeks of their life.

For the next nine months, the cubs nurse from their mother and they are weaned at one year. They still require a long period of maternal care after weaning, and for this reason remain with their mother for a one and a half to three years, as they mature. The classification of giant pandas was once a subject of intense debate. At one time they were thought to be of a close relation to racoons, but molecular studies have revealed they belong within the bear family. Giant pandas diverged from other bears early in the family's evolution. Giant pandas are higlhy specialized in terms of their diet. Bamboo accounts for over 99 percent of the giant panda's diet. Since bamboo is a poor source of nutrition, the bears must make up for this by consuming vast amounts of the plant. Another stragegy they use to compensate for their bamboo diet is to conserve their energy by remaining within a small area. To consume sufficient bamboo to provide all the energy they need, it takes giant pandas as much as 10 and 12 hours of feeding every day.

Giant pandas have powerful jaws and their molar teeth are large and flat, a structure that makes them well suited for grinding up the fibrous bamboo they eat. Pandas feed while sitting upright, a posture that enables them to grab onto bamboo steams. The digestive system of a giant panda is inefficient and lacks the adaptations that many other herbivorous mammals posess. Much of the bamboo they eat passes through their system and is expelled as waste. Giant pandas obtain most of the water they need from the bamboo they eat. To suplement this water intake, they also drink out of streams that are common in their forest habitat. The giant panda mating season is between March and May and young are usually born in August or September. Giant pandas are reluctant to breed in captivity. Giant pandas spend between 10 and 12 hours each day feeding and foraging for food. Giant pandas are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. There are only about 1,600 giant pandas that remain in the wild. Most captive pandas are kept in China. Size and Weight About 225 pounds and 5 feet long. Males are larger than females.

Classification Giant Panda Bear (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca) - Animals - A-Z Animals Five groups that classify all living things Animalia A group of animals within the animal kingdom Chordata A group of animals within a pylum Mammalia A group of animals within a class Carnivora A group of animals within an order Ursidae A group of animals within a family Ailuropoda Comprised of the genus followed by the species Ailuropoda melanoleuca Most widely used name for the species Giant Panda, Giant Panda Bear Other Name(s): The domestic group such as cat or dog Mammal The specific area where the animal lives High-altitude, moist bamboo forest The colour of the animal's coat or markings Black, White, Brown The protective layer of the animal Fur How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is 1.5m - 1.8m (4.9ft - 6ft) The measurement of how heavy the animal is 110kg - 250kg (242lbs - 551lbs) The fastest recorded speed of the animal 32kph (20mph) What kind of foods the animal eats

 Omnivore The food that the animal gains energy from Bamboo, Fruits, Rodents Other animals that hunt and eat the animal Humans, Leopards, Birds of Prey Whether the animal is solitary or sociable Diurnal/Nocturnal How long the animal lives for 20 - 35 years The average number of babies born at once 1 The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct Vulnerable Extension of wrist bone acts as a thumb Fun Fact: Bamboo makes up 99 per cent of their diet!

Giant Panda Bear Location Giant Panda Bear Classification and Evolution The Giant Panda is a species of bear that is found in the mountains of central and western China . One of the most famous and easily identifiable animals in the world, the Giant Panda is also one of the rarest and is under immense threat in it's natural environment , primarily from habitat loss. The Giant Panda is unique among bears as they do not hibernate, have very small babies at birth and survive on a diet that is almost entirely vegetarian. Since the Giant Panda was first discovered by a French naturalist in 1869, it has become a global symbol for conservation with the World Wildlife Fund using it as their logo. The Chinese people also see the Giant Panda as a symbol of peace and numerous efforts have been made to try and protect the remaining populations in their native habitats . Giant Panda Bear Anatomy and Appearance The Giant Panda is a medium to large sized bear that like other species has a large head, short tail and a long muzzle with a large nose, which gives them an excellent sense of smell. The thick fur of the Giant Panda is creamy-white in colour with large patches of black on the limbs, shoulders, ears and nose, and distinctive black patches around their small eyes.

The Giant Panda eats almost only bamboo and so has a number of physical adaptations to help with its consumption including an extension of their wrist bone which acts a bit like a thumb, allowing the Giant Panda to grip onto bamboo stems. They also have large jaws with strong jaw muscles that along with their flat molars, allow the Giant Panda to crush bamboo stems and leaves in order to extract the nutrients. Giant Panda Bear Distribution and Habitat Historically, the Giant Panda would have been found throughout the lowlands of the Yangtze River Basin but increased Human activity in these areas has pushed the Giant Pandas high up into the mountains . Remote populations are still found in six different mountain ranges in central and western China , where they inhabit broadleaf and coniferous forests with a thick bamboo under-storey at elevations between 5,000 and 13,000 feet. These high-altitude forests are cool, cloudy and moist and are generally subjected to a high level of rainfall. It is thought that the unique colouration of the Giant Panda may help them to blend into these misty forests when they are foraging for food.

It is however, the loss of these habitats to deforestation that is the biggest threat to the Giant Panda today as they rely almost solely on bamboo to survive. Giant Panda Bear Behaviour and Lifestyle The Giant Panda is a solitary animal that occupies a territory marked with secretions from scent glands and scratch marks on trees. Male Giant Pandas roam home ranges more than double the size of a female's, with his territory overlapping those of several female Giant Pandas with which he holds breeding rights. As bamboo is not particularly nutritious, the Giant Panda must eat lots of bamboo every day and can consume up to 30kg of bamboo leaves, shoots and stems which is roughly 40% of it's body weight . Giant Pandas therefore dedicate between 12 and 15 hours a day to munching bamboo which they do by sitting down, allowing their front paws to grip onto the plants. Even though the Giant Panda appears to spend it's whole day either eating or sleeping, they are also known to be good at climbing trees and can even swim well when needed.

Giant Panda Bear Reproduction and Life Cycles Giant Pandas breed between March and May when the female begins to indicate her want to mate by making a series of groans and bleats to attract a male. After a gestation period that lasts for around five months, the female Giant Panda gives birth to one or two cubs in the base of a hollow tree or cave. Panda Bear cubs are very underdeveloped at birth measuring as little as 15cm and weighing only 100g, they are made even more vulnerable by the fact that they are also blind and hairless and don't begin to crawl until they are nearly three months old. Even if a female gives birth to twins she can only care for one that rides on her back until it is 6 months old and is then able to precariously trot beside her. Panda Bear cubs are weaned when they are around a year old but don't leave their mother until they are 18 months old. Some cubs may stay with their mother for a few years until she becomes pregnant again and they leave to establish a territory of their own.

Giant Panda Bear Diet and Prey Despite being classified as a carnivorous animal (not to mention a species of bear), the Giant Panda eats almost exclusively bamboo in the forest surrounding it. Known to consume more than 30 different species of bamboo plant, Giant Pandas feed on different parts of the plant at different times of year in order to get the most out of it. Capable of eating up to 30kg of bamboo a day, the Giant Panda uses it's strong jaws to crush the various plant parts into a more easily digestible paste. Spending more than half of their day eating, Giant Pandas also supplement their diet with other plants including grasses and fruits, as well as rodents and birds on occasion. Even though they can eat nearly half of their body weight in bamboo parts in just one day, the Giant Panda still needs to drink water and does so from mountain streams that are supplied by the melting ice and snow higher up the slopes. Giant Panda Bear Predators and Threats Due to the large size and unique habitat of the Giant Panda, adults have no natural predators within their cool, bamboo-filled world.

Cubs however are completely helpless until they are at least a year old and are preyed upon by larger predators such as Leopards and Birds of Prey . Humans however are the biggest threat to Giant Pandas in the Chinese mountains as they have hunted these remarkable animals for their unique fur, almost to extinction in some areas. Although harsh punishments for poaching have now slowed hunting down, Giant Pandas are under extreme threat from habitat loss in the form of deforestation for timber and land clearance for agriculture. They have therefore been forced into small and isolated pockets of their once vast natural range, and have been subjected to severe declines in their population numbers. Giant Panda Bear Interesting Facts and Features The Giant Panda has always fascinated people and therefore goes by a number of different names with it's scientific name meaning "cat-foot black and white" and it's Chinese name translates literally to "Giant Bear Cat", as the Giant Panda has slits for pupils in their eyes much like a cat . They are also known as the Bamboo Bear by locals due to the enormous amount that they consume.

Giant Panda cubs are so small at birth that they weigh about the same as an average mouse and at 100g are roughly 0.001% of their mother's weight . In the Qinling Mountains in China's Shaanxi Province, a small population of brown and white Giant Pandas can be found existing amongst the standard black and white ones. Giant Pandas communicate between one another using a series of calls, with 11 different Giant Panda noises having been identified. Giant Panda Bear Relationship with Humans The Giant Panda has been admired by people for hundreds of years but more for their beautiful black and white pelts in the past. Since their discovery by the western world and the realisation of their rareness in the wild, Giant Pandas have become one of the most well-known of the world's large animals with increasing projects and efforts being put in place to try and save them from extinction. They have however been drastically affected by increasing Human activity in their native habitats which has ultimately led to vast population declines and the isolation of the remaining populations.

Despite their seemingly cuddly appearance though, the Giant Panda is a species of bear and although attacks on Humans are rare, it is not unheard of for harm to be caused to people (particularly those who attempt to enter captive enclosures). Giant Panda Bear Conservation Status and Life Today For decades the Giant Panda was listed by the IUCN as an animal species that was Endangered in the wild. It was strongly believed that the Giant Panda was facing extinction in wild in the near future if more was not done to protect it. The Chinese government has created 33 Giant Panda reserves and more than 50% of it's natural habitat is now protected by law. Extensive research has also gone into preventing the Giant Panda from becoming extinct but it simply cannot survive without it's unique bamboo forests. However, after 10 years of increasing population numbers to around 2,000 adult individuals, the Giant Panda has now been removed from the endangered species list and is instead classed as Vulnerable by the IUCN mainly thanks to efforts by the Chinese government to not only protect their natural habitats but also by successful reproduction programs. Share This Article Learn how you can use or cite the Giant Panda Bear article in your website content, school work and other projects.

First Published: 24th November 2008 [View Sources] Sources: 1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 24 Nov 2008] 2. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia [Accessed at: 01 Jan 2011] 3. David W. Macdonald, Oxford University Press (2010) The Encyclopedia Of Mammals [Accessed at: 01 Jan 2010] 4. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 24 Nov 2008] 5. Giant Panda Facts (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 24 Nov 2008] 6. Giant Panda Information (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 24 Nov 2008] 7.

Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species [Accessed at: 01 Jan 2009] 8. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 24 Nov 2008] Are you Safe? Are You Safe? is an online safety campaign by A-Z-Animals.com. If something has upset you, the Are You Safe? campaign can help you to speak to someone who can help you. Ailuropoda melanoleuca Ailuropoda melanoleuca Other Names for Ailuropoda melanoleuca Vernacular Names: Giant Panda, Panda Bear References Jin C, Ciochon RL, Dong W, Hunt RM Jr, Liu J, Jaeger M, Zhu Q. The first skull of the earliest giant panda. 2007. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 104:10932-10937. Lindburg, DG. 2004. Giant Pandas: Biology and Conservation. University of California Press, Berkeley.

Peng, R, Zeng, B, Meng, XX, Yue, BS, Zhang, ZH, Zou, FD. 2007. The complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Gene 397 (1-2):76-83. Title Illustrations Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window Scientific Name This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License - Version 2.0 . Copyright About This Page Page copyright © 2008 Page: Tree of Life Ailuropoda melanoleuca. Giant Panda. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0 . Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies .

First online 12 October 2008 Content changed 12 October 2008 Citing this page: Tree of Life Web Project. 2008. Ailuropoda melanoleuca. Giant Panda. Version 12 October 2008 (temporary). in The Tree of Life Web Project, Giant Panda – Ailuropoda melanoleuca | Facts About Animals Home \ Animals by Region \ Asia \ Giant Panda – Ailuropoda melanoleuca Giant Panda – Ailuropoda melanoleuca 23 Dec Taxonomy The giant panda is listed as an endangered species by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Kingdom: Animalia Common name: Giant panda, panda bear, panda. Scientific Name: Ailuropoda melanoleuca Distribution and Habitat Historically the giant panda occupied most of southern and eastern China. Today its distribution has been reduced by 92% from its original range. Currently they are found in south central China in 6 mountain ranges in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi. About 75% of its population inhabits in Sichuan Province.

Giant pandas inhabit temperate forest and subalpine habitats at elevations of 4,000 to 11,500 ft or 1,200 to 3,500 meters. In summer they ascent to higher elevations and in winter to lower elevations. Old growth forests with many species of bamboo and access to water is their preferred habitat. Giant Panda Distribution Map. Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Giant pandas have shorter legs and larger heads than most bears. These bears have poor vision and an acute and sophisticated sense of smell. Its coat is white with black eye patches, ears, legs and across the shoulders. Fur is short and thick providing insulation against cold temperature and snow. Weight and Height Males are about 20% larger than females. The length of panda bears is from 5.3 to 6.2 ft or 1.6 to 1.9 m. They weigh from 187 to 276 lb or 85 to 125 kg. Its tail is from 4 to 6 in or 10 to 15 cm.

Behavior They are active at any time of day and night with peak periods at dusk and dawn. Its activity level varies with weather. They are solitary animals unless it is breeding season or females are raising cubs. Giant pandas do not hibernate because food is available year round. Because bamboo is poor in nutrients pandas cannot gain enough fat deposits to hibernate. Pandas descent to lower elevations for winter and return to higher elevations for summer. Their home range is from 5 to 18 sq km but inhabit only 10% of it on a regular basis. Males have larger home ranges than females. Male home ranges overlap extensively but one male is the dominant one. Females ranges do not overlap. Giant pandas mark their territories with scent gland secretions and urine on trees and rocks. Diet Although it belongs from the order carnivora, more than 99% of its diet is bamboo. They consume 23 to 36 lbs or 12 to 15 kg of bamboo roots and leaves every day. They can eat up to 84 lbs or 38 kg of new bamboo shoots. 35 species of bamboo are eaten by pandas in the wild.

1% of its diet consists of eat eggs, carrion or small animals. They spend more than 14 hours a day feeding. Reproduction Males and females reach reproductive maturity at 6 years old. Females can reproduce until they are 20 while males until 26 years old. Giant pandas are polygynous, they mate with multiple partners. Females may breed every 2 years or more. Reproduction occurs from March to May and it is influenced by food supply available to the mother. Gestation lasts from 84 to 184 days including delayed implantation. The egg is fertilized but the implantation is delayed. The mother prepares a birthing nest in rock crevices, hollow trees or under fallen logs. They give birth usually between August to October. Litter size is 1 to 2 but only one cub is raised in the wild. The young Cubs are born pink and naked with very little white hair covering their bodies. They weigh 3 to 5 oz or 85 to 140 grams. At 8 to 10 days its skin turns grey in areas where fur will be black. They begin to eat bamboo at around 5 months.

Cubs stay with their mother until they are up to 18 months old. Baby pandas from newborn to three months. Source: Treehugger Life Expectancy Giant pandas can live up to 20 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity. Threats Fragmentation, degradation and loss of habitat due to agriculture, livestock and industrial development. Low genetic variability due to inbreeding within smaller subpopulations. Dependence on bamboo as a primary food source. Bamboo regenerates every 5 years to be edible by pandas. Conservation Status According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species there were fewer than 2,500 pandas in the wild and its population shows a declining trend. The status of the giant panda in the IUCN Red List is “Endangered”. In China they are given maximum protection and are listed under Category 1 of the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Law. They are listed on Appendix 1 of CITES.

Giant Panda - Ailuropoda melanoleuca - Overview - Encyclopedia of Life Learn more about this article Description of Ailuropoda melanoleuca Ailuropoda melanoleuca is the giant panda, a kind of bear that is native to central-western and south western China. The giant panda has a body shape typical of bears. It has black fur on its ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, arms and shoulders. The rest of the animal\'s coat is white. Though it is classified among the Carnivora, its diet is mostly bamboo. Occasionally they eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. It lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Due to farming, deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived. The panda is an endangered species, and needs active conservation measures. In 2007, an estimated 239 pandas lived in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country.

Wild populations probably number between 1500 and 3,000. Adults measure around 1.2 to 1.8 meters (4 to 6 ft) long, including a tail of about 13 cm (5.1 in), and are 60 to 90 centimeters (1 ft 10 in to 2 ft 10 in) tall at the shoulder. Males weigh up to 160 kilograms (350 lb). Females are 10â20% smaller than males. The average adult weight is 100 to 115 kilograms (220 to 250 lb). The giant panda has large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing tough bamboo. In addition to 5 fingers, the paw has a thumb modified from the sesamoid bone. the thumb helps the giant panda to hold bamboo while eating. The giant panda typically lives around 20 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity.

Trusted Giant Panda - A - Z Animals Giant Panda Black and white cat-foot Thumbnail Description The giant panda is a terrestrial animal and primarily spends its life roaming and feeding in the bamboo forests Size and Weight Length (including tail) 1.2 to 1.9 m (4 to 6 ft); tail 10–15 cm (3.9–5.9 in); shoulder height 60 to 90 cm (2.0 to 3.0 ft) Weight (male) 160 kg (350 lb); (female) 70 kg (150 lb) Physical Features Black fur on ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, and shoulders Habitat Broadleaf and coniferous forests (5,000 and 10,000 feet) Distribution Central China (Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces) Diet ADW: Ailuropoda melanoleuca: CLASSIFICATION Ailuropoda melanoleuca: information (1) Ailuropoda melanoleuca: pictures (18) Ailuropoda melanoleuca: specimens (8) To cite this page: Myers, P., R

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Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2016. The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed at Disclaimer: The Animal Diversity Web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students. ADW doesn't cover all species in the world, nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe. Though we edit our accounts for accuracy, we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts. While ADW staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable, we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control.

Question: Alurpoda Melanoleuca is the scientific name for which animal?
Answer: Panda