Panda

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a species of bear (Ursidae) that lives in the mountain forests of China, mainly in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. It feeds mainly on bamboo, although it also eats other plants and small animals. Despite being classified as a carnivore, the panda has a digestive system typical of carnivores, but has adapted almost entirely to a herbivorous diet. It can eat 12–38 kg of bamboo per day to meet its energy needs. Pandas are solitary, peaceful animals and spend most of their time eating or resting. Females have a very short fertility period (only a few days per year), which makes it difficult to reproduce and preserve the species. The giant panda has been a symbol of the global fight to preserve endangered animals, and thanks to protection programs, its status has been changed from “endangered” to “vulnerable”.