Probably, this is an animal at least once in a lifetime, but everyone had to see it. On TV or in cyberspace, at the zoo or in the pages of popular science magazines. And for many modern children, the panda copanda from the famous anime cartoon is almost the most favorite character.
Have you ever thought about where the panda lives, what is the habitat of the bear, what does he prefer to eat and how long does the bear bear offspring? No?
Then I propose to do it together.
Where the panda lives. General information
First of all, I will immediately note that the type of animals that we used to call pandas, and they will be discussed in this article, are called giant pandas in science. Why? Yes, because, probably, for someone it will be a discovery, there is also a red panda, which is much smaller, and in its physique and behavior more resembles a fox or a raccoon than a bear.
So, the giant panda, which is often called the bamboo bear, belongs to the mammals of the bear family. However, despite its size, according to some features, including a peculiar black and white color, the animal could well be compared with raccoons. Apparentlythat's why it took scientists so long to classify the creature once discovered in the forests of central China (Tibet and Sichuan provinces).
The Chinese have come up with a different name for him. In the Celestial Empire, it is called a cat bear and is loved so much that, starting from the second half of the 20th century, the panda bear has become a revered emblem and symbol of a huge and densely populated country.
Where the panda lives. Habitat features
These rather rare animals are found only in the mountainous regions of central and southern China. These areas are densely covered with wet and cold forests, which is an ideal environment for the growth of bamboo, a favorite delicacy of the bear cat.
Their habitat can be considered an area of approximately 30 thousand square kilometers. Growing up, each individual gradually acquires its own territory, marking it with marks on the trees. In general, we can say that pandas are rather isolated mammals, leading a predominantly solitary lifestyle. They rarely invade the domains of their kind.
Night is their time! It is at dusk or in impenetrable darkness that they arrange real bamboo feasts for themselves. During the day, they prefer to sleep, sitting in the hollow of a large tree or in a secluded place among the rocks.
It should also be noted that, like all bears, pandas can easily stand on their hind legs, examining the area, but they get tired quickly and still prefer to rest more often.
Where the panda lives. Interesting facts from the life of a bear
There are a lot of such facts, but I will list only those that, from my point of view, turned out to be the most interesting.
- Panda prefers to eat constantly, of course, except for the time intended for sleep.
- The daily diet is a colossal amount of food, from which, however, more than 17% is rarely absorbed.
- The version that these individuals feed exclusively on bamboo is erroneous. They do not disdain found roots, various forest root crops, tree bark, mushrooms, grass and flowers. In very rare cases, a panda may attack other mammals or diversify its diet with freshly caught fish. Honey extracted from the nests of wild bees is considered a special delicacy.
- Pregnancy of a pubescent five-year-old, less often eight-year-old, panda lasts from 95 to 160 days. As a rule, after this period, one or two babies are born to the female. However, the second, one way or another, is doomed to death, because. mothers take care in most cases only of the firstborn.
