Why are pandas so special?

Traditionally one grows up with the notion that bears are lovable and cuddly, but in reality bears are far from cuddly! Some species of bears are dangerous predators and must be avoided at all costs. One bear however, lives up to the friendly bear myth and that is the giant panda.

Found exclusively in the mountains of central and south-western China, the giant panda has a characteristic black and white coat with round, black ears and black eye patches. Its diet consists almost entirely of bamboo and it eats almost 11 to 38 kilograms of this daily. The panda has enlarged wrist bones that function as opposable thumbs. Despite their bulky frames, pandas are expert tree climbers and swimmers. Sometimes they relax by doing headstands against trees!

Males may grow up to 6 feet and weigh more than 100 kg, while the females are usually smaller. Pandas are considered a national treasure in China and are listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are fewer than 1,900 pandas remaining in the wild today.

Pandas have been the logo for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) since 1961, the year it was founded. Owing to this, these exceptional and rare creatures are perhaps one of the most powerful symbols of conservation in the world.

Picture Credit : Google

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