My Information about PANDAS   

I am not an expert on Pandas....... but I love to look at them. And I get exited when I hear on the news that a new one is born in a Zoo (this is very rare). So I wanted to make a page here on the net, where I could share some of my nowlegde with you. And I will put links here so the real experts can have their saying. If some of my information is completely wrong.... e-mail me and I will correct it.

The Chinese name on the Panda is PAI-HSIUNG. It means White Bear . But the Panda is NOT a bear.... it is a half-bear. The Giant Panda is very rare. It lives alone except for the mating season.Their natural habitat is a small region in China. And China has strong restrictions to protect them.

Pandas is big animals. The can get to be 80 cm. when they stand on all four legs (shoulderhight) And get a weight up to 150 kg

Because of the calm personality, the cuddly looks and the playful temperament, the Pandas is very popular in the Zoo all around the world. And in 1849 they where introduced for the western world.

WHAT THEY EAT :

The Giant Panda is living almost exclusively on bamboo shots. They use most of their day to find and eat the bamboo. But they add grass, flowers and small animals to the diet if it is difficult to find the bamboo.

Bamboo is a type of grass !! Actually the Giant of grass species. It grows mostly in the Tropic, but is found also in South-West China and in the Andes in South-America. Originally Bamboo was found in all continents except for Europe and Antarctic. It rearly has flowers. It can pass 20 years between each flowering. One Japanese art is flowering only once......in 120 years !!

After flowering the bamboo dies, usually........

New bamboos comes from roots under the earth. They grow very rapidly..... up to one meter in one day ! Pandas is not alone to like bamboo....... humans and gorillas like it too. "Adult" bamboo does not get thick like trees, they only get tall. The tallest species get to be 40 meter.