Panda Panda
J. Patrick Fischer (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Panda is a bear species native to China, distinguished by its striking white fur marked with black patches around the eyes, ears, legs, and shoulders. Adults typically weigh between 100 and 115 kilograms and measure 1.2 to 1.9 meters in length, with males generally larger than females by 10–20 percent. The species possesses a rounded body structure and a specialized thumb on its forepaw that aids in gripping bamboo during feeding. Adapted for a largely herbivorous diet, pandas feature enlarged molars and pronounced temporal fossae suited to processing bamboo and bamboo shoots, which comprise nearly their entire food intake.