Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Tag Archive for ‘panda’

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Understanding Giant Pandas’ Unique Bamboo Diet

Happy National Panda Day!! Today, we celebrate one of the most beloved animals around the world. Giant pandas, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, are native to China and are the only living member of the genus, Ailuropoda. Pandas are members of the carnivorous Ursidae bear family. However, they have evolved to eat a diet consisting of close to 99% bamboo. Their jaws, teeth, digestive system and even their paws with a “false thumb” […]

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Staying warm on a chilly day

Giant panda bears have a very unusual trick to staying warm. This unusual behavior was first noted by scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing who observed a giant panda rolling around in horse manure in the Qinling mountains in central China during the winter of 2007. To see whether this was just a rogue panda or a more common behavior, scientists set up camera traps and observed […]

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