Cute Giant Panda Facts
Giant pandas are some of the most beloved animals to walk this earth. They are often seen in movies, advertisements, and coloring books. Adults and children alike own giant panda stuffed toys and rush to the panda exhibit whenever they visit a zoo. However, despite their popularity, giant pandas are incredibly endangered. Below are a number of cute facts about these amazing animals!
1. The lifespan of pandas in the wild is approximately 20 years. However, in captivity, they can live to be 25-30 years old.
2. The giant panda has been on the endangered species list since 1990. The most significant threat to them are poaching and habitat destruction.
3. Pandas have always been a symbol of peace in China. For example, centuries ago, warring tribes would raise a flag with a panda on it to stop a battle or call a truce.
4. With just over 1,000 left in the world, giant pandas are on the brink of extinction. Scientists are hoping to increase the wild panda population to 5,000 by 2025.
5. Pandas can stand upright, but their short hind legs aren’t strong enough to support their hefty bodies. A panda’s bones are twice as heavy as the bones of other animals the same size.
6. Pandas cannot run fast – a slow trot is as fast as they go. The fastest bear is the black bear, which can run at 35 miles per hour, which is just as fast as a horse or deer.
7. Female pandas ovulate once a year. They are fertile only two or three days of the year.
8. Pandas have been on Earth from two to three million years.
9. A panda spends 14-16 hours a day eating bamboo.
10. A giant panda can peel and eat a bamboo shoot in about 40 seconds flat.
11. A panda’s throat has a special lining to protect it from bamboo splinters.
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