Panda

Ailuropoda melanoleuca

For a time the Giant Panda was thought to belong to the raccoon family, but recent studies have shown that it is a true bear. This bear feeds almost entirely on bamboo plants. It may spend 12 hours of its day munching away on bamboo stems and leaves. The reason it has to eat so much is that bamboo is low in nutrients, so the panda has to eat a lot of it to get all the nutrients its body needs. The Giant Panda is an endangered species, and there are thought to be only about 1,000 left in the wild.

Look For : A large, roly-poly black-and-white bear. The head is white, but the eyes and ears are black, as are the legs.

Length : Body 5-6' long; 175-275 lb.

Habitat : Forests, mainly in mountains, with stands of bamboo plants.

Range : Central China.