Endangered Species Zoo
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GIANT PANDA (Ailuroda melanoleuca) DESCRIPTION:Distinctive black and white colouring acts as a camouflage in the Giant Panda’s snowy habitat. Can climb trees and swim. Soles of feet are covered in hairs so the Panda can grip the ice and snow covered ground, and to act as an insulation against heat loss. Has strong jaws and teeth to crush bamboo. Adult weighs 200 to 300 pounds. Has average life span in the wild of about 15 years.
HABITAT:Lives only in the coniferous covered mountains of central and western China.DIET:The Giant Panda eats mainly bamboo, although it supplements its diet with other plants and flowers such as vines, irises and crocuses. Also fish and sometimes small rodents are consumed. Has to eat 20 to 40 pounds in its 10 to 15 hours a day it spends feeding to survive.
REPRODUCTION:After a gestation period of 125 to150 days, a single cub is born, weighing only about 0.5 pounds. Eyes don’t open for about two months and the cub doesn’t move around until it is about three months old. Weaned at six months.POPULATION:About 1000 in the wild and 60 in captivity.THREATS TO SURVIVAL:Among the rarest of mammals in the world. Main enemy is man . Habitat is being lost because of human population expanding and deforestation. Sometimes poached for their fur.
CONSERVATION:China has set up 11 nature reserves where the Giant Panda lives. Those caught poaching giant panda are given life sentences. Being slow to reproduce and having little success in captivity breeding, both contribute to the Giant Pandas small population in the wild. Research into what will hopefully be more successful captivity breeding programmes is being undertaken. |
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