In nature, everything is connected. A bacterium affects a
tree which affects the air which affects a giant panda. The
same is true with knowledge. Learning about giant pandas can
lead one to learn about bamboo which can lead one to learn
about forests in China which can lead one to learn about the
world as a whole.
Giant pandas live in China.
Find out how far you live from China.
Learn about the Sichuan Province of China.
View some beautiful Chinese art.
China is one of the world’s most populous countries. Learn about different countries' population sizes.
The other U.S. zoos that have giant pandas are: the San Diego Zoo, Zoo Atlanta, and the Memphis Zoo.
Examine the geology of another group of mountains in Asia:
Did you know giant pandas are members of the bear family?
The International Association for Bear Research and Management
The American Zoo and Aquarium Association Bear Advisory Group
Giant pandas have a bony projection of the wrist bone that they use in the same way primates use their opposable thumbs. Find out how important opposable thumbs are to primates by doing this experiment.
Bamboo makes up 99 percent of the giant panda’s diet.
Eat like the giant panda. Learn to cook with bamboo.
Giant pandas spend 10 to 16 hours a day eating. Some people think humans should spend that much time eating.
Learn about the koala, another animal that eats only one kind of food.
Giant pandas have huge molar teeth specialized for chewing tough bamboo.
The black fur surrounding the eyes is called an eyespot. Some scientists believe these spots are meant to threaten or scare off other giant pandas. Look at some other animals that have eyespots:
Caligo
butterfly Giant pandas first came to the National Zoo in 1972, shortly after President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China.
The Wolong Nature Reserve in China is home to many of the world’s giant pandas. Learn about Wolong and the other animals that live there:
There are many other animals that share the giant panda’s habitat:
Clouded leopards
Tigers once lived in this region but have since been extirpated. See the Tiger Information Center.
Rhododendrons are common in giant panda habitat, and are also found here in the eastern U.S.
Summer means monsoon season in the mountains of China. Learn about the Asian monsoon:
One important method of communication among giant pandas is through chemicals called pheromones released by large glands near their tails. Humans may also release these powerful yet elusive chemicals.
Links to Some of the National Zoo's Giant Panda Research and Conservation Collaborators:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
