Species Spotlight: Giant pandas
Dec 22nd, 2010 by wwftravel
- © John Mackinnon / WWF-Canon
Habitat: Southwest China
Diet: Giant pandas are classified as bears and have the digestive system of a carnivore, but they have adapted to a vegetarian diet and depend almost exclusively on bamboo as a food source. A giant panda may consume 26-83 pounds of bamboo a day to meet its energy requirements.
Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation. Much of the panda’s habitat has been claimed for agriculture or degraded by timber logging.
Interesting Fact: The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family and among the world’s most threatened animals.
Visit two panda breeding centers during WWF’s China for Families tour, June 26 – July 6, 2010.