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The giant panda, sometimes called a panda bear or simply panda, is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes used to distinguish it from the red panda, a neighboring musteloid. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant panda is a folivore, with bamboo shoots and leaves making up more than 99% of its diet. Giant pandas in the wild 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 red panda, also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail. Its head-to-body length is 51–63.5 cm (20.1–25.0 in) with a 28–48.5 cm (11.0–19.1 in) tail, and it weighs between 3.2 and 15 kg. It is well adapted to climbing due to its flexible joints and curved semi-retractile claws.
The National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution and does not charge admission. Founded in 1889, its mission is to "provide engaging experiences with animals and create and share knowledge to save wildlife and habitats".
The Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Encompassing 287 hectares, the Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in Canada. It is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia, and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in pavilions and outdoors in what would be their naturalistic environments, with viewing at many levels. It also has areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre, and Splash Island. It has one of the most taxonomically diverse collection of animals on display of any zoo worldwide; it is currently home to over 5,000 animals representing over 500 species. The zoo is open to the public every day of the year except December 25.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo is located in Bridgeland, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, just east of the city's downtown and adjacent to the Inglewood and East Village neighborhoods. It is accessible via Calgary's C-Train light rail system, by car via Memorial Drive, and by bicycle and footpath via the Bow River pathway. A large portion of the zoo is located on St. George's Island in the Bow River.
Panda diplomacy is the practice of sending giant pandas from China to other countries as a tool of diplomacy. From 1941 to 1984, the Chinese government gifted pandas to other countries. Since 1984, pandas have been leased rather than gifted due to a PRC policy change.
Tai Shan is a giant panda born at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on July 9, 2005. He is the first panda cub born at the National Zoo to survive for more than a few days. He is the oldest brother of Bao Bao, Bei Bei and Xiao Qi Ji.
Wolong National Nature Reserve (卧龙国家级自然保护区), also officially known as Wolong Special Administrative Region (四川省汶川卧龙特别行政区), is a national protected area located in Wenchuan County in China.
Mei Xiang is a female giant panda who lived at the National Zoo in Washington D.C.
Gao Gao is a male giant panda formerly at the San Diego Zoo from 2003 to 2018 and was then returned to China. He was diagnosed with a heart murmur in 2013. His right testicle was removed for health in 2014. To date, he has fathered five giant pandas in captivity.
Ling Ling was a male Chinese-born giant panda who resided at the Ueno Zoo, the largest zoo in Tokyo, Japan. At the time of his death at the age of 22, Ling Ling was the only giant panda at the Ueno Zoo and the oldest panda in Japan. He served as an important symbol of the Ueno Zoo and of friendship between Japan and China. Ling Ling, who was given to Japan in 1992, was the only giant panda in the country who was directly owned by Japan. There are eight other giant pandas in Japan as of April 2008, but they are all on loan to Japan from China. Despite being a male panda, Ling Ling's name meant "darling little girl" in Chinese.
Wang Wang and Fu Ni are the only giant pandas in the Southern Hemisphere. Born at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre in China, the pair relocated to Adelaide Zoo in Adelaide, South Australia, on 29 November 2009. Wang Wang and Fu Ni were on loan for ten years for $1 million annually as part of a giant panda breeding program, but have not bred after more than five unsuccessful attempts by the zoo. Fu Ni has experienced many false pregnancies, which are difficult to distinguish from actual pregnancies. The loan has been described as an instance of "panda diplomacy" between Australia and China.
Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui were two giant pandas from Sichuan, China on loan to Chiang Mai Zoo in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Jinan Zoo, formerly known as Taurus Park was founded in October 1959. It opened 1 May 1960, and was renamed Jinan Zoo on 8 September 1989. Jinan Zoo is one of China's largest zoos in it is located in Shandong province.
Polar Bear Café is a Japanese manga series by Aloha Higa. It revolves around the everyday lives of a group of animals mingling with humans at a café run by a polar bear. An anime adaptation by Studio Pierrot aired in Japan between April 2012 and March 2013, and was simulcast globally on Crunchyroll.
As of 2019, there are 27 zoos in 21 countries outside of mainland China, that have giant pandas. These zoos have contracts with China to house these pandas for a few years. The two exceptions are the three pandas held at Taipei Zoo, which are owned by the Taiwanese government, and one panda held in Mexico. Giant pandas are on the IUCN Red List so part of the reason these contracts exist between China and international zoos is to try to help the species reproduce before they are brought back to their native land. For this reason, pandas are treated very well.
Er Shun is a female giant panda, born at the Chongqing Zoo.
Jia Yueyue and Jia Panpan are twin giant pandas born at the Toronto Zoo on 13 October 2015, to mother, Er Shun and father, Da Mao. They were the first giant pandas to be born in Canada, and only the second giant panda twins to survive the neonatal period in North America. Their birth was the result of one of two artificial insemination procedures overnight from 13 to 14 May 2015. The pandas went on public exhibit at the zoo on 12 March 2016. The last day that the giant pandas were viewable at the Toronto Zoo was 18 March 2018. The two pandas have since left Canada and now reside at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
References
- ↑ "Toronto panda Da Mao celebrates birthday". Toronto Star. September 1, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
- ↑ "Calgary Zoo to ship giant pandas back to China early due to bamboo supply problems". CBC. May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
- ↑ "Toronto Zoo Giant Panda vs. Snowman | Youtube".
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