China - Chongqing - Pandas

Monday, 29 April 2019

The Chongqing Zoo is known for its pandas. It has a significant number of giant pandas, and also a few red pandas. Although the two species are not related, both are critically endangered.

Recent genetic research has put the red panda in its own zoological family, which is related to weasels, skunks, and raccoons. It is somewhat smaller than a raccoon, and bears a resemblance to a one with it's facial mask and striped tail.

Red pandas are seriously cute.

But the main attraction at the zoo are the several giant pandas living there. Mostly they lounge around chomping on bamboo and sleeping. The giant panda feeds exclusively on bamboo, but has a digestive system more like a carnivore's than an herbivore's. As a result, a panda does not extract much energy from it's food source, and so needs to eat almost continuously. When not eating, a panda is usually resting or sleeping. Such a life!

Eating bamboo.

Three young pandas were together in one enclosure. This one was enjoying bamboo, ...

... while the other two were having a wrestling match.

During our time at the zoo, the pandas were unusually active (for a panda, that is).

After spending two to three years with their mother, giant pandas lead a solitary life. They are notoriously picky when choosing a mate, and have a very short annual window for reproduction. Along with habitat loss, these characteristics make increasing the numbers of pandas difficult.