Panda Updates – Monday, July 12

Although giant pandas and red pandas are not closely related, they actually share some cool similarities. The word panda in Nepalese means “bamboo eater.” This is fitting for both species because they exist on a diet of primarily bamboo, so they are both legitimately pandas. They also both have pseudothumbs, an extension of the wrist bone, that is not an actual digit. Both panda species also have scent glands and use scent marking to leave information behind for other pandas.

Trish J.
Keeper I, Mammals