What’s a Panda Bear?
The sharply contrasting black and white coloration, added to the stocky characteristic shape of a bear, makes the Giant Panda one of the most recognizable animals in the world. The head, top of the neck and rump are white, while small patches of fur around the eyes, ears, shoulders, front legs, and rear legs are black. The head is quite large in relation to it’s body. The panda’s thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. Giant Pandas have large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing bamboo. Many people find these chunky, lumbering animals to be cute, but they can be as dangerous as any other bear. For many years the Giant Panda was thought to be a type of raccoon, like the similarly named Red Panda. However genetics testing and observation have revealed that the Giant Panda is indeed a bear.
