Tai Shan

pandas: tai shan

DIM

tai shan

Enjoy these photos of Tai Shan, perhaps the most well-known giant panda in the world.

topic: pandas

location: ya'an

pandas: tai shan

about

location: Ya'an, China

best viewing hours: 4pm - 12am PT / 8am - 4pm CT

related links:	Bifengxia Panda Center
	Wolong National Nature Reserve
	Volunteer Opportunities

did you know?

Pandas are one of the most critically endangered species on our planet- giant pandas were classified as an endangered species in the 1980s.

did you know?

There are only an estimated 1600 pandas in the wild and about 325 in captivity.

did you know?

Giant pandas face challenges with mating success, digestive illnesses, and maintaining a reliable and plentiful food supply.

did you know?

Pandas eat 25- 40 lbs of bamboo a day, but they also will eat flowers, fish and meat. Captive pandas get treats of carrots and apples. Pandas eat up to 14 hours a day.

did you know?

Unlike other bears, the giant pandas do not store fat and therefore do not hibernate. Consequently, they are constantly in search of food.

did you know?

Bamboo will occasionally “die off” forcing pandas to migrate to other areas to find enough bamboo- this is why protecting their habitat is extremely important.

did you know?

The giant panda’s habitat was once widespread over southern and eastern China, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma).

did you know?

Today panda habitat is limited to the mountains in only a few provinces of southwestern China.

did you know?

Logging and clearing away the much needed bamboo has caused the panda’s declining numbers. Not only is the loss of their food source a critical problem but the fragmentation of their habitat has also made it increasingly difficult for pandas to find mating partners.

did you know?

The earthquake of 2008 severely damaged both habitat and food supply of the pandas. Replanting of bamboo is now extremely important for species recovery.

did you know?

Baby pandas weigh only 4-8 oz. at birth, are about 6 inches long (about the size of a stick of butter)- and are pink in color.

did you know?

Adult pandas weigh 165 – 353 lbs and stand 4-5 feet high.

did you know?

The life span of pandas 18-20 years in the wild and 30-35 years in captivity.

did you know?

The panda is considered a "National Treasure" by the people of China.

did you know?

Referred to as a "living fossil," the giant panda is believed to have existed since the Pleistocene age about 3 million years ago.

did you know?

In Mandarin, the giant panda is called dà xióng māo and means “giant cat bear.”

did you know?

The front paws of a panda are very different from those of other animals because of a specialized bone found in the wrist. The panda uses this bone in same way humans use their thumbs.

did you know?

The puffy cheeks that make the pandas appear so adorable are actually powerful muscles that enable the panda to chew through even the toughest bamboo stalks.

did you know?

It is very difficult to tell giant pandas apart since their markings are basically the same on all animals. Caretakers can identify individual giant pandas by small markings around their mouth or muzzle.

did you know?

Giant panda fur is coarse, dense and somewhat oily. Their coat keeps them warm in the cool moist climate of the mountain forests.

did you know?

The panda can make 11 distinct vocalizations, indicating highly evolved communications.

did you know?

Giant pandas leave scent marks in their territories. The scent marks serve as a major form of communication. Giant Pandas can determine from the scent the sex of the other panda, how recently they left their mark, and, in the case of females, if they are in a reproductive period.

did you know?

Today there are a total of 40 panda reserves across southwestern China. These reserves protect not only the giant pandas, but the entire ecosystem including the red panda, the golden monkeys, takin (a goat like animal) and many other smaller species.

did you know?

Giant pandas become sexually mature between four and eight years. Females breed only once a year in the spring.

did you know?

Fragmentation of the giant pandas' habitat is a major impediment to breeding. When towns, roads, and power lines prevent the free movement from one area to another the male giant pandas cannot reach the females.

did you know?

Giant pandas nest on the ground or in hollow trees, giving birth approximately 100 to 150 days after they have mated. Hollow trees are becoming scarcer create yet another problem for breeding.