Each animal has its own behavior and way of life. In particular, pandas are often known as one of the rare animals known for their “lazy” habit. However, hidden deep in this animal there are many interesting facts that make us amazed.

1. Pandas like solitude

Unlike the mistaken belief that pandas like to live in groups, this animal prefers solitude and  will almost avoid direct contact with other species. Every year, male and female pandas only meet during the mating season in about 2-3 days of spring (from March to May every year). After that, the male will say goodbye to the female and return to enjoy a solitary life until mating season next year.

2. Pandas eat all the time 

The main daily food of pandas is only bamboo, bamboo is sometimes fruits. Because of such an all-fiber diet, pandas have to eat a lot (more than 12 hours a day) to get enough nutrition to feed their fat body. In addition to the time to eat, they will spend the rest of the time sleeping to get up to eat again.

3. Pandas have “false thumbs”

In fact, the panda’s hand has 5 fingers but no thumb, only an extra finger that functions like a thumb. The “false thumb” is actually the wrist bone that has grown so large that it sticks out the side of the hand. The muscles that control the panda’s bones have been rearranged to make it easier for the artificial finger to move and grasp the bamboo stem.

4. Panda fur provides camouflage

Everyone knows the adorable black and white panda. However, this hair color is not only beautiful but also very useful. The panda’s distinctive fur pattern allows them to avoid danger when blending in with both light and dark backgrounds, especially in bamboo forests.

5. There are two species of pandas

The panda subspecies is mainly found in the Sichuan region of China. However, there is also another rare species of panda that lives only in the Qinling Mountains of China’s Shaanxi region, the red panda.  

This red panda is slightly smaller than the common giant panda, and its fur is brown and white, instead of black and white. Just like the common panda, this red bear is also on the verge of extinction and needs urgent protection.

6. Pandas belong to the order “carnivores”

It sounds hard to believe, but even though 99% of what this animal eats is bamboo and bamboo, it belongs to the “meat-eating” family. On average, an adult panda needs to “eat” at least 18 kg of bamboo leaves per day. 

Wild pandas will sometimes eat grass, wild tubers, bird meat, rodents, even carrion. And pandas kept in cages can also eat honey, eggs, fish, carrots, potatoes, shrub leaves and fruits such as apples, oranges or bananas. 

7. Newborn pandas only weigh as much as a pencil

Due to the extremely short gestation period of only about 135 days of pandas, panda cubs are born weighing only 80-120 grams. This is also the mammal that has the youngest young. Normally, the size of newborn pandas is only 1/1900th of the mother’s while the proportions of most mammals are close to 1/26.

At birth, panda cubs cannot open their eyes and need special care from their mothers for the first few months of life. Despite having a short gestation period, pandas cannot reproduce as quickly as other species with a period of 2 years. This is also the reason why this individual animal is increasingly being lost and facing the risk of extinction. 

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