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Giant pandas are most commonly found in the mountain ranges of China. Due to human activity and deforestation, they have been pushed higher up into isolated mountain areas.
Giant pandas live in dense forests at elevations ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 feet. They spend most of their time eating and climbing trees. Giant pandas thrive in broadleaf and mixed forests, with lots of bamboo.
Giant pandas are known for their fuzzy black and white coats, with black patches on their eyes, ears, arms, and legs. Their thick coats help them stay warm in cooler temperatures.
Similar to a typical bear, giant pandas grow 3 to 6 feet long and 2 to 3 feet tall at the shoulder. Once fully grown, males can weigh up to 350 pounds, with females weighing anywhere from 150 to 275 pounds.
The giant panda is a folivore, which is an animal that specializes in eating leaves. In fact, 99% of their diet consists of leaves and bamboo shoots! They also eat grasses, tubers, and occasionally the meat of small animals like rodents or birds.
Giant pandas are classified as carnivorous like all other bears and even have the digestive system of a carnivore. Because they primarily eat an herbivorous diet, the giant panda must consume about 20 to 80 pounds of bamboo a day to make up for how little protein they get from the bamboo.
Giant pandas have poor eyesight, however, they make up for that with their sense of smell. By using their nose, they can sniff out the best bamboo and find their paths they create.
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