Important Notice: Our web hosting provider recently started charging us for additional visits, which was unexpected. In response, we're seeking donations. Depending on the situation, we may explore different monetization options for our Community and Expert Contributors. It's crucial to provide more returns for their expertise and offer more Expert Validated Answers or AI Validated Answers. Learn more about our hosting issue here.

How did pandas become an endangered species?

0
Posted

How did pandas become an endangered species?

0

Various factors have contributed to pandas becoming endangered. Human urban development, as well as farming and forest clearing have basically restricted panda habitat to consist of the mountains in central China. In addition, pandas have also been hunted despite being illegal. Pandas cannot reproduce until they are between four and eight years of age. The female panda only ovulates once a year. It takes 95 to 160 days for the baby to be born, meaning she likely will only giver birth every other year or less. In addition, the lifespan of a panda is believed to be around 20 years old. This means the average female panda only has about a half a dozen times to get pregnant during her entire lifetime.

0

Giant pandas are known as “specialists,” meaning they can survive and thrive in a very restricted set of conditions – food, water, shelter, etc. The opposite of a specialist is a “generalist,” which would be an animal that can thrive in a wide variety of conditions (A good example of a generalist is a coyote – they can live in nearly any climate, eat almost anything, and are not easily affected by subtle or even major changes in their circumstances). This isn’t a black and white distinction between animals, rather there is a broad range between the most specialized animals and the least. But on that scale, the Panda is on the extreme end of specialism. Specialism can be viewed as a significant evolutionary disadvantage. Climates change. Plant distribution changes. Competitive species move into new areas. These are facts of our dynamic planet and have been for millions of years. With the spread of humans across the planet in the last few thousand years, though, the pace of change has in

Related Questions

Thanksgiving questions

*Sadly, we had to bring back ads too. Hopefully more targeted.