Ah, pandas! 🐼 Let’s pivot from Middle-earth to these beloved black-and-white bears. Here’s a quick rundown:
Giant Panda Basics
Species: Native to China, giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are a national treasure and a global conservation icon.
Diet: 99% bamboo, though they’re technically carnivores (their digestive systems struggle with bamboo, so they eat a lot—up to 40 lbs/day!).
Conservation: Once endangered, their status improved to "vulnerable" in 2016 due to habitat protection and breeding efforts. Only ~1,800 remain in the wild.