a giant panda, the WWF’s logo/emblem

The ‘giant panda’ is the national animal of China, sharing with the ‘dragon’ (?).

The ‘Giant panda’ has been the symbol (logo) of the international WWF (World Wildlife Fund) organisation since 1961.

A ‘panda’ may be a big cat-like panda, called ‘lesser panda’/’red panda’ or a ‘giant panda’, but these days, when people say ‘panda’ , they mean the ‘giant panda’, and the red panda is also grouped in the ‘bear’ family and it is called ‘red panda’ because of its fur colour. For an article that explains what a lesser panda is, please click here.

Not all scientists agree that the ‘giant’ panda is a bear; in fact, in the beginning a giant panda was thought to be a bear and then it was thought to be closely related to the ‘raccoon‘, and again to the bear family!  For an article, with a video and a picture showing a bear, a giant panda and a red panda, that discusses this topic, please click here.

soft toy giant pandas are as popular as the real ones

Giant pandas are highly endangered – only a few hundreds are found in the world!

Normally, bears have round pupils in their eyes, but the giant pandas have vertical slits like a cat’s eye, which has given it the name ‘bear cat’ in some parts of China.

A giant panda has five toes and a “thumb”, a bony growth, on each of its front paws.  The panda uses the “thumb” for holding the bamboo shoots while eating.

At the time of its birth a panda baby is born pink, hairless and blind, and is only 1/900th of the size of its mother!

Giant pandas have an image of innocence and cuteness; everybody loves them!