Madrid, Spain - Zoo Aquarium of Madrid presents Giant Panda of two months old at Zoo Aquarium of
Madrid on November 8, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. With the birth of the last panda at the Madrid Zoo, its population expands in Europe where only 10 specimens exist in zoos Vienna, Beauval, Edinburgh and Madrid. This is the fourth birth of this species in danger of extinction in Madrid Zoo Aquarium, after delivery of Chuln (September 4, 1982) and twins Po and De De ( September 7th, 2010). Today, there are fewer than 2,000 giant pandas in the world, about 1,600 forests of central China and about 300 in zoos and breeding centers.
About Giant Pandas:
The panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, lit. "black and white cat-foot"), also known as the giant panda to distinguish it from the unrelated red panda, is a bear native to south central China. It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Pandas in the wild will occasionally eat other grasses, wild tubers, or even meat in the form of birds, rodents or carrion. In captivity, they may receive honey, eggs, fish, yams, shrub leaves, oranges, or bananas along with specially prepared food.
The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. As a result of farming, deforestation and other development, the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.
The panda is a conservation reliant endangered species. A 2007 report shows 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country. Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild, while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000. Some reports also show that the number of pandas in the wild is on the rise. However, the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.
While the dragon has often served as China's national emblem, internationally the panda appears at least as commonly. As such, it is becoming widely used within China in international contexts, for example the five Fuwa mascots of the Beijing Olympics.
Photos Credit: Getty
