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The
Giant Panda (Chinese: ??; pinyin: xióng mao), Ailuropoda
melanoleuca ("black-and-white cat-foot"), is a mammal
now usually classified in the bear family, Ursidae, that is native
to central China. The Giant Panda lives in mountainous regions,
like Sichuan and Tibet. Toward the latter half of the 20th century,
the panda became somewhat of a national emblem for China, and
is now used in Chinese gold coins. The Chinese name means "bear-cat,"
and can also be read in reverse to mean the same thing. Its Western
epithet is named after the Red Panda. It used to be known as the
Mottled Bear (Ailuropus melanoleucus).
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Despite being
taxonomically a carnivore, their diet is overwhelmingly herbivorous.
In fact, it lives almost entirely on bamboo. Technically, like
many animals, they are omnivores, as pandas have been known to
eat eggs, and they consume some insects along with their bamboo
diet. These are necessary sources of protein. It is also distantly
related to the Red Panda, but the shared name appears to derive
from their common bamboo diet. Until its relation with the Red
Panda was discovered in 1901, the Giant Panda was known as parti-coloured
bear. For many decades the precise taxonomic classification of
the panda was under debate as both Giant Pandas and Red Pandas
share characteristics of both bears and raccoons. However, genetic
testing has revealed that Giant Pandas are true bears and part
of the Ursidae family. Its closest bear relative is the Spectacled
Bear of South America. Disagreement remains about whether or not
Red Pandas belong in Ursidae or the raccoon family, Procyonidae.
Above Images Come From The US Fish & Wildlife Service
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