descriptive essay

The Panda is a large mammal, which is about the same size as a Black Bear. Giant pandas bears have a massive head, heavy body, short tail, rounded ears and plantigrade feet (both heel and toe make contact with the ground when walking in a manner similar to humans). Adult Pandas grow to be about 5-6 feet high. They will weigh up to 276 pounds and males weighing 10% to 20% more than females. Giant pandas, with their short claws, are capable of climbing trees very easily and effortless.

With few other enemies other than people, the lifespan of a wild Panda is about 25 years or more. The head of a Panda is very large and has developed special molars for chewing plants and other thinks they like to eat. It has powerful muscles which extend from the top of its head to the jaws giving it the ability to crush very tough stalks.

The basic fur color of the giant panda is white with black eye patches, ears, legs, feet, chest, and shoulders. Within its natural environment (pandas live in the deep forest and at upper elevations, snow and rock), its mottled coloring provides camouflage. There is also speculation that its striking color patterns may be a clear message to other pandas to stay away from ones territory.

The fur of the giant panda is thick and coarse. It consists of a coarse outer layer and a very dense, wooly-like underfur. To the touch, the fur feels oily. This oily protective coating helps and protects pandas from the cool and damp climate in which they live (Suzuki, 2008, p.3).

Earliest Pandas were found in the ice age, about 1 to 3 million years ago. Fossils of Pandas have been found in Burma, Vietnam, and China. The closest relative to giant Panda is the Red Panda or lesser Panda, which occurs in India, Nepal, and China. The Red Panda is rather small, it lives mostly on trees and eats roots, fruits, nuts and insects for food. Many scientists classify Pandas as raccoons rather than bears. In their natural place of inhabitance, their main predators are snow leopards and starvation when bamboo flowers are also common occurrence.

On average, Panda spends about 14 hours a day looking for food. When pandas are born they are blind and very small. They weigh from 3 to 4 1/2 ounces which is about the size of a chipmunk. They start out with fine white fur and will get the correct colored fur within a month of birth or some time later. Giant panda cubs are eating bamboo by the time they are 5 to 6 months old and are fully weaned by the time they are 9 months of age. At one year of age, the cubs normally weigh is compared with 75 pounds of bamboo.

Adult Pandas can eat as much of bamboo as they can in hours time. Occasionally, Pandas eat grass, bark, stem, leaf, vine, tree fungus and some wild roots. Sometimes they also catch or scavenge upon bamboo rats. Giant Pandas don't hibernate in the winter. They continue to eat Bamboo and thrive in the area.