Animal Education: Giant Panda Bear Facts
Although they are mighty bears, they look cuddling. With their attached ears, thick fur, and chubby shape, panda bears are reminiscent of giant teddies. You can learn more about giant panda bear facts below.
What do giant pandas look like?
The giant panda, also known simply as the panda bear, belongs to the bear family and is therefore a predator. Adult animals are 120 to 150 centimeters long and weigh between 75 and 160 kilograms.
Like bears, the tail is just a five-inch stub. Pandas have the typical shape of a bear, but appear a bit chubby than their relatives.
However, their wiry fur is colored differently than other bears and has striking markings. The body is white, and ears, hind legs, front legs, and a band that runs from the chest to the shoulders are black. The area around the eyes and the tip of the tail are also colored blacks. With increasing age, the white parts of the fur become yellowish.
The head shape is also unmistakable. Its head is much wider than that of other bears. This is due to a broader skull due to the very strong masticatory muscles.
A very special feature is the so-called pseudo-thumb. It sits like a sixth finger on each hand and consists of an extended bone of the wrist. Their teeth are also unusual. Pandas have the largest grinding teeth of all predators.
How do giant pandas reproduce?
During the mating season from March to May, the giant pandas become a bit more sociable. Several males often fight for a female. Serious injuries rarely occur. Whoever wins the fight and the coveted female can eventually mate with the female.
However, as with other bears, the fertilized egg does not implant itself in the uterus until 45 to 120 days after mating. Only in August or September does a panda bear give birth to one or two cubs. Usually, only one cub is raised by the mother.
Panda babies are really tiny. They weigh just 90 to 130 grams, their fur is white and still quite sparse. In contrast to adult animals, they still have a fairly long tail. The little ones are still completely helpless and dependent on their mother.
After four weeks they show the typical fur markings and only after 40 to 60 days do they open their eyes. They will learn and start eating solid food at about five months and only stop nursing from their mother when they are eight or nine months old. Panda bears do not become independent until they are one and a half years old and then leave their mother.