Giant Pandas!

Giant Pandas (also known as Pandas) are the national animal of China and also the symbol of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Pandas are rare and an endangered and they live in Sichuan and Gansu provinces in China because there is a lot of bamboo. Sichuan Province is home to about 80% of all the pandas living in China.

Some facts about Pandas!

• Panda's black and white fur is for camouflage and communication.  The Panda's face and body tends to be white for camouflage in snow, and their arms and legs are black to hide in shady areas when it's not snowing.
• Pandas can swim and climb trees from about 5 months of age
• Pandas eat (mainly bamboo) for up to 16 hours per day
• Pandas are closely related to bears
• Bamboo forests are critical to pandas' survival.
• They mainly eat a vegetarian diet but they can digest meat and eggs.
• Pandas poo up to 40 times a day!  They sometimes also like to mark their scent on a tree which means doing a handstand to wee on the tree!
• Pandas are usually very gentle but may attack if provoked.
• Pandas don't have thumbs but they do have an extended wrist bone which acts like one to help them hold things!