The beloved giant panda is regarded as a national treasure in China.With a bear-like body and distinctive black and white plumage, the giant panda has become the mascot for wildlife conservation. It has also been the logo of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) since 1961.Despite its exalted status, the giant panda is a victim of indiscriminate human interference with wildlife. Previously classified as Endangered, the giant panda population in the wild has increased by around 17 percent in the last decade. It has been made possible by the combined conservation efforts of the Chinese government, the WWF, and local communities. Hence, although they are no longer tagged as Endangered, giant pandas are still vulnerable to the loss of natural habitats.However, people often get confused as to whether the giant panda and red panda are truly bears. If it baffles you as well, you’ll find all your answers right here. So, read on to find out how a giant panda is different from a red panda and which one of them is really a bear!Further reads such as do pandas have tails and red panda adaptations will help you discover more about the red pandas.Why are they called pandas?The giant panda is a bear of the bear family Ursidae. Even though it shares a common name with the red panda, the latter is not a bear and belongs to a distinct family of its own called Ailuridae.The term panda is believed to have its roots in the Nepalese word ’nigalya ponya’, which translates to ‘bamboo eater’ in English. Thus, the name panda essentially refers to the bamboo-based diet of both giant and red pandas even though the two animals are classified separately. In fact, the red panda was described way before the giant panda, and the latter was named ‘panda’ due to the similarities the two species share, like feeding on bamboo shoots. The giant panda is also known as the bamboo bear, panda bear, or in Chinese as ‘Daxiongmao,’ which means ’the large bear cat.‘Are pandas considered a bear?If we go by common names, there are two types of pandas: the giant panda and the red panda. However, only of them is considered a bear species.There has been a long drawn debate among scientists as to whether the giant panda is a bear, a raccoon, or has a separate family of its own. Why? The giant pandas and red pandas have characteristics common with both a bear and a raccoon. However, with evidence from recent genetic studies indicating that the giant panda is more closely related to a bear, it is categorized in the bear family Ursidae.The giant pandas are bears with an unmistakable black and white fur-covered body. Their eye patches, muzzle, ears, legs, and shoulder band are black, with the rest of the pelage whitish. Since these gentle giants inhabit the mountains, they have thick, woolly coats to keep them warm in their cold habitat. In addition, the giant pandas have two distinctive physical features adapted to a bamboo-based diet. First, their enlarged wrist bone works like an opposable thumb, and second, they have flat, broad, molar teeth for efficiently holding, crushing, and eating bamboo.Is a red panda a bear?The red panda is not a bear and is the only living member of its family, Ailuridae.The giant panda’s lineage is not the only thing that has baffled scientists for centuries. The red pandas have been a subject of much speculation since the animals share characteristics with both a bear and a raccoon. Even though red pandas have earlier been placed in the bear and raccoon families, later phylogenetic studies have classified them into a separate family Ailuridae. The Ailuridae family is part of the Musteloidea superfamily and also includes the families of raccoons, weasels, and skunks. So, the red panda is more closely related to a raccoon than a bear while having its own identity.The red pandas have a bear-like body with a thick covering of reddish-brown fur. They are slightly larger than a domestic cat, with the males slightly heavier than the females. While most of its pelage is reddish-brown, the limbs and belly are black with white markings on the sides of the head, above the ears, and around the snout. The red pandas are endemic to the Himalayan temperate forests and mostly eat bamboo along with birds, small mammals, flowers, berries, and eggs. They are skilled climbers.Difference Between Pandas and BearsEven though the giant panda is classified as a bear, the two animals have their differences.Giant pandas differ from other bear species in several aspects. For example, while most bear species hibernate, such as the grizzly bear and the American black bear, the giant panda does not. Moreover, the giant pandas have a modified bone or thumb in their paw, which helps the animals to hold bamboo while eating. Bears, on the contrary, have this bone, but it is very small. Another difference between pandas and bears is in terms of their diet. While giant pandas mainly eat bamboo, other bears have a diverse diet comprising small mammals, insects, fish, larvae, berries, roots, grass, and succulents. Bears may also prey on deer, moose, elk, or other hoofed wildlife. Besides eating the shoots, leaves, and stems of various bamboo species, giant pandas may also supplement their diet with fish, small rodents, and mammals.Captive Vs Wild PandasThe International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the wild population of giant pandas as Vulnerable. Keeping them in captivity is the only way to save these wild animals.Captive pandas are found in zoos and breeding centers both inside China and outside the country. While giant pandas in the wild typically have a lifespan of around 20 years, those in captivity live for 30 years or more. Mimicking its wild diet, giant pandas in a zoo are provided a bamboo diet along with other dietary supplements. In the wild, the breeding season of pandas occurs between March and May. The normal reproductive rate is pretty low, with females producing one giant panda cub every two years. A newborn panda is no bigger than a stick of butter, and if twins are born, the weaker of the two young cubs die in the wild due to starvation. However, captive breeding programs have proved fruitful in saving and reclaiming their numbers. The giant panda is solitary in nature and will hardly ever be seen with other pandas, except during the mating season. Although captive pandas are shown as cuddly creatures, they are essentially bears and can turn aggressive towards humans if threatened.Habitat Of PandasGiant pandas inhabit the mountainous bamboo forests of southwest China.The primary habitat of giant pandas is the temperate forests located high up in the mountains of southwest China. These forests are abundant with bamboo trees, the panda’s predominant food source. Currently, the giant panda population is restricted to 20 isolated patches in six mountain ranges in China’s Sichuan, Gansu, and Shannxi provinces. Other than humans, the adult giant pandas have few natural predators in the wild. However, panda cubs are vulnerable to predation by the Asian black bear, eagles, yellow-throated martens, snow leopards, and feral dogs.How can I help red pandas?The red panda is an Endangered animal with less than 10,000 individuals left in the wild. The WWF is actively involved in conservation efforts geared towards protecting the red pandas and their habitat. Here’s what you can do to help save the red pandas:Make a symbolic red panda adoption and support WWF’s conservation efforts.Join WWF in a pledge to protect forests and solve the world’s greatest environmental problems.Spread awareness, donate, raise funds, take part in ecotourism, and stand against the red panda trade in association with non-profit organizations such as the Red Panda Network.Did you know?Pandas don’t hibernate because their bamboo diet provides almost zero fat reserves to last through the winter months.Besides protecting from the cold, the fluffy tail of red pandas helps the animals keep a steady stance while walking along tree branches or rock ledges. Plus, they love the snow!Red pandas communicate with each other through grunts, hisses, squeals, twitters, and huff-quacks. They are mostly solitary, but a group of them can be called a pack. Despite being adorable, they are wild and wouldn’t make good pets.Grizzly bears are more than thrice the size of giant pandas!Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for are panda bears bears, then why not take a look at do pandas eat meat, or giant panda facts?
The beloved giant panda is regarded as a national treasure in China.
