High in dense bamboo forests in the misty, rainy mountains of southwestern China lives one of the world's rarest mammals: the giant panda, also called the panda. Only about 1,500 of these black-and-white bears survive in the wild. Pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo shoots and leaves. Occasionally they eat other vegetation, fish, or small mammals, but bamboo accounts for 99 percent of their. Giant panda, bear with striking black-and-white coloration inhabiting bamboo forests in the mountains of central China. Its coloration, bulky body, and round face gives it a captivating appearance that has endeared it to people worldwide. Learn more about the giant panda in this article. Check out ten facts about pandas here at National Geographic Kids. Learn where pandas live, what they eat, how big they grow and much more! About the panda The panda is not special just because it is one of the most well known and charismatic animals on earth. It is also a very peculiar species, with many unique and remarkable characteristics. Learn more: How many pandas live in the wild? Habitat: where do they live? Natural enemies and defences What do they eat? How big, tall, and heavy are they? Life cycle Panda population. Giant panda. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), also known as the panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its white coat with black patches around the eyes, ears, legs and shoulders. The Giant Panda Cam takes you inside the Zoo’s award-winning giant panda habitat. What will you notice? Watch for these common behaviors: Eating bamboo: Giant pandas can spend up to 12 hours a day eating bamboo. It makes up 90% of their diet. The pandas also eat fruit, vegetables, and dense flour cakes fortified with nutrients. The giant panda is perhaps one of the most powerful symbols in the world when it comes to species conservation. In China, the giant panda is a national treasure. For WWF, the panda has special significance as it has been our organization’s symbol since 1961. This peaceful, bamboo-eating member of the bear family was once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, as well as. Welcome to our Chinese kitchen. Panda Express prepares American Chinese food fresh from the wok, from our signature Orange Chicken to bold limited time offerings. The biological diversity of the panda’s habitat is unparalleled in the temperate world and rivals that of tropical ecosystems, making the giant panda an excellent example of an umbrella species conferring protection on many other species where pandas live. In other words, when we protect pandas, we invariably protect other animals that live around them, such as multicolored pheasants, the. Male pandas are known to climb a tree with their hind feet until they reach a handstand position for scent marking. Learn more interesting panda facts.