The panda is a black and white mammal commonly found in the mountains of central China. Its bulky body and round face give it an attractive appearance that’s liked by people worldwide. Pandas also eat bamboo as their daily diet.
Natural Selection
First of all, the pandas lived in the bamboo forests for many million years. Pandas have unique characteristics, and they are highly specialized animals. The panda’s thick, woolly coat keeps it warm in the cold forests. Pandas have large incisor teeth, and they use their strong jaw muscles to crush strong bamboo. They eat more bamboo to survive using their six fingers on their front paws, which can grab the bamboo and tear off leaves to eat. Scientists discovered that a wild panda’s lifespan was roughly 15-20 years, but Chinese scientists reported that zoo pandas are as old as 35.
Theory of Evolution
In 1869, the giant panda was unknown to the Western world until a French missionary named Pere Armand David discovered it. For a little while, it was known as Pere David’s bear. A complex DNA testing procedure showed that giant pandas are truly bears, not members of the raccoon family.
Adaptation
Many people believe giant pandas are super rare. The World Wildlife Fund said that there are 1,864 pandas left in the wild, and according to Pandas International, an extra 400 pandas are imprisoned or confined. Hunting pandas has been banned for many years. And if there is no bamboo or someone burned or removed in the mountains or wild, they will starve to death easily.
Research
Researchers find that pandas are much cuter than babies. They have big, round eyes, soft fur, and clumsy movements. They enjoy playing and cuddling, which makes them more adorable. Researchers say that they are the only bears that eat bamboo, and they have a slow consumption. That’s why many people like pandas worldwide.
Researchers have also shown that pandas are famously picky eaters. They consume 26 – 84 pounds of bamboo daily as a low-quality, low-fat diet.
Evolutionary Process
Since giant pandas are confined to China, it’s assumed that the panda family has been living there since shortly after it split off from the other bears, like polar and brown bears. However, in 2012, scientists found teeth possibly from old giant pandas. They were 11.6 million years old and they were discovered in Spain. It suggested that the giant panda’s ancestors developed in Europe before migrating to Asia.
Five million years ago, some warm European forests disappeared, foreshadowing European pandas. The ecosystem in Europe changed, and the species linked to warm European forests disappeared, leaving China the only suitable home for surviving European pandas.
About the Author
Hi, my name is Derek Linesis, and I live in the Philippines. Since the pandemic started, I have been writing and sharing narratives, poems, and stories. Gaming is my hobby because it’s fun, and I also enjoy baking cookies, which are my favorite snack. Every Saturday, I post gameplay and insane fights on YouTube.