25 Interesting facts about pandas

Word “panda” derives from the Nepalese “poonya”, meaning “bamboo-eating animal”. Tweet This

The Chinese call giant panda “large bear cat.” Tweet This

Around 2,200 pandas are found in the wild. Another 200 are held in captivity. Tweet This

All captive pandas in the world are part of a breeding program. Tweet This

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The giant panda is so close to extinction that it’s referred to as a “living fossil”. Tweet This

Male pandas have a bone inside their penis. Tweet This

The entire mating period takes only about couple of days every year. Tweet This

Female pandas are single moms, raising their cubs on their own. Tweet This

Five months after mating, a single cub is born in a nest of bamboo. Tweet This

If a panda has twins; the weaker cub is normally not going to survive. Tweet This

Pandas in captivity have twins more often. Tweet This

Many new-born pandas die from being accidentally crushed by their mothers. Tweet This

At birth, cubs weigh 4-8 oz (100–200 g) and measure 6 inches (15 cm). Tweet This

Panda is blind first 2 months of its life and starts to crawl only at age of 3 months. Tweet This

Pandas are born all-white. Tweet This

Mother panda holds the cub to her chest, just as humans do. Tweet This

Pandas leave their parents at age of 2. Tweet This

Giant pandas have a special bone in their wrists called a “pseudo-thumb”. Tweet This

The extra digit helps to grasp and tear the bamboo. Tweet This

Panda’s throat and guts are covered with a thick layer of mucus to protect against bamboo splinters. Tweet This

Panda has the largest molar teeth of any carnivore. Tweet This

A carnivore-turned-veggie, panda subsists on bamboo. Tweet This

Pandas only eat 25 species of bamboo (out of over 130 species). Tweet This

Their strong jaws can crush bamboo, thick up to 2 inches (5 cm). Tweet This

Panda eats around 45 lbs (20 kg) of bamboo shoots a day. Tweet This