关于熊猫的生存状态

关于熊猫的生存状态

Giant Panda Range:southwestern China,in six small forest fragments Habitat:damp,misty forests of bamboo and conifers,in altitudes above 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) Giant pandas are black and white and loved all over The giant panda is a national treasure in China and is therefore protected by law.This unique bear has long been revered by the Chinese and can be found in Chinese art dating back thousands of years.The Chinese call their beloved pandas "large bear-cats." People outside of China have been fascinated by giant pandas since they were first described by French Missionary Pere Armand David in 1869.Now,more than 100 years later,the worldwide love for pandas has been combined with international efforts to keep them from becoming extinct.How did the panda get its colors?Scientists aren't exactly sure.One theory is that pandas developed the contrasting black and white colors over time so they would stand out in the forest and be able to find each other to mate.Are giant pandas bears?For years scientists have wondered whether pandas are bears,raccoons,or in a group all their own.Through studying the genetic code (DNA) in pandas’ cells,scientists have confirmed the panda's relationship with bears.Giant pandas are similar to other bears in their general looks,the way they walk and climb,and their skull characteristics.It's important to know that pandas are bears,because the more we know about pandas,the better we can help them reproduce and survive.Giant pandas start out small Giant pandas are only about the size of a stick of butter at birth,and they're hairless and helpless.The panda mother gives great care to her tiny cub,usually cradling it in one paw and holding it close to her chest.For several days after birth,the mother does not leave the den,not even to eat or drink!Yet despite the attention they receive from their mothers,many young pandas do not survive.Through captive propagation programs in China and other zoos around the world,we are learning more about the care of panda cubs and how to help them reach adulthood.Bamboo is food and shelter Bamboo is the most important plant in a giant panda's life.Pandas live in cold and rainy bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China.They spend at least 12 hours each day eating bamboo.Because bamboo is so low in nutrients,pandas eat as much as 84 pounds (38 kilograms) of it each day.Pandas grasp bamboo stalks with their five fingers and a special wristbone,then use their teeth to peel off the tough outer layers to reveal the soft inner tissue.Strong jaw bones and cheek muscles help pandas crush and chew the thick stalks with their flattened back teeth.Bamboo leaves are also on the menu,as pandas strip them off the stalks,wad them up,and swallow them.Giant pandas have also been known to eat grasses,bulbs,fruits,some insects,and even rodents and carrion.At the San Diego Zoo,pandas are offered bamboo,carrots,yams,and special leaf eater biscuits made of grain and packed with all the vitamins and minerals pandas need.Vocal pandas Pandas make a bleating sound similar to the sound a lamb or a goat kid would make.It's a friendly sound,a greeting.They don't roar,the way you think of a brown bear roaring.But they do bleat and honk,they sometimes huff,bark,or growl,and young cubs croak and squeal.