The weight of an adult giant panda can fluctuate in a fairly wide range - from 17 to 160 kilograms (an average of 102 kg). The length is 120-180 cm. The shoulder height reaches 70 cm.
Sexual dimorphism is quite pronounced and males are heavier than females by an average of 20% and longer by 10%. The bamboo bear is distinguished from other bears by a rather long tail (up to 1/10 of the total body length). Like other bears, the giant panda has a massive body with a thick coat. The limbs are thick and short with wide paws and powerful claws. The bases of the toes and soles have bare, well-developed pads, thanks to which the animal can firmly hold the smooth bamboo stems while eating.
For several million years, giant pandas have lived in bamboo forests, and during this time they have become a highly specialized animal that has adapted precisely to eating this plant. In order to hold the stems more firmly, the pandas wandered through a special "sixth finger", which is opposed to the rest of the fingers. Although in fact it is a process of the metacarpal bones. Thanks to this finger, the panda is very confident in manipulating bamboo stems.
The panda's feet are short, woolly, rounded and, when walking on the ground, do not fully rest on the surface. The head is large, with large ears and a blunt muzzle. The structure of the teeth has a number of differences from other bears, which, apparently, is caused by the need to chew bamboo stems. For several million years, giant pandas have lived in bamboo forests, and during this time they have become a highly specialized animal that has adapted precisely to eating this plant. In order to hold the stems more firmly, the pandas wandered through a special "sixth finger", which is opposed to the rest of the fingers. Although in fact it is a process of the metacarpal bones. Thanks to this finger, the panda is very confident in manipulating bamboo stems.
The panda's feet are short, woolly, rounded and, when walking on the ground, do not fully rest on the surface. The head is large, with large ears and a blunt muzzle. The structure of the teeth has a number of differences from other bears, which, apparently, is caused by the need to chew bamboo stems. Most of the coat is white. Around the eyes, the coat is dyed intense black. The limbs are also black, as is the wide "collar" surrounding the panda over the shoulders, merging with the black limbs. The tips of the tail and ears are also black, and the maximum recorded lifespan of the giant panda in captivity is 26 years. How long wild pandas live is not known exactly, but most likely about 15, maximum 20 years.
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