ADOPT A GIANT PANDA
The Giant Panda is synonymous with the struggle to save some of the world’s most beautiful creatures from extinction. Used as the logo by the WWF animal charity for many years, still to this day the Panda is fighting against extinction in the wild.
One of the most recognizable animals on the planet, Giant Panda numbers are believed to be as low as 1,600 pandas remaining in the wild today. Here’s a few interesting facts about these gentle giants, who have live on the planet for 3 million years.
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The only Giant Pandas that are left in the wild live in a few select mountain ranges in China. The regions of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu are home to the few Giant Pandas that remain on the planet due to forest clearing and development. They once lived on the lowlands, but have been driven out by human consumption. We need to realise that it’s of our own doing that these amazing animals are endangered.
Size and Shape
The Giant Panda is easily recognisable, with it’s black and white coat, and big black eyes patches. They can reach up to 6 feet in height and can weigh up to a sizeable 160kg, with the same body shape as a typical bear. Interestingly, they have five fingers and a sort of thumb (actually a protruding bone) that helps the Panda to hold the bamboo it incessantly eats. They also have a tail of about 6 inches, which is the second longest in the bear family. The Giant Panda can live up to 20 years in the wild, and up to 30 in captivity.
Lifestyle
Now I’m not saying that the Giant Panda is lazy, but they do spend a lot of their time chilling out, eating bamboo! They don’t make permanent nests like other bears, but are well known to spend time in hollow trees or rock crevices when the weather isn’t very nice. They are also one of the few bears that don’t hibernate during the winter, and prefer to move to areas with warmer temperatures. Giant Pandas live a solitary life, only really meeting during breeding season, which is only 2-3 days a year. No wonder there isn’t many of them left!
Even though they have been at the forefront of the animal adoption scene since it’s beginning, the Giant Panda still needs our help. Due to deforestation and short breeding spans, there number is still slowly sliding toward extinction. It’s up to us to make a stand and save these amazing animals before it’s too late.
Read more @ WWF