Why has the panda population declined? Can cloning save the giant panda? How many kilos of bamboo does a panda eat every day? Find out the answers to these questions and more.

Reproduction

1. How often does the giant panda reproduce?

Pandas usually reproduce once every two years.

2. How many cubs does a mother panda usually deliver?

It usually gives birth to one to two cubs at a time.

3. When do pandas mate and give birth?

Pandas usually mate in March, April, and May and give birth in August, September, and October.

4. What is the minimum age at which female pandas can have babies?

Female pandas can start to give birth when they are four to five years old.

5. What is the maximum age when pandas stop having babies?

About 20 years old.

6. How many cubs does a female panda have in its lifetime?

Usually five to eight babies in the wild.

7. What is the maximum number of pandas that a single panda has given birth to in captivity?

The panda that has had the most cubs in captivity was Jing Ji, from the Baoxing region of Sichuan. She gave birth to 14 pandas but sadly, none of her cubs survived. Jing Ji died in 1974.

8. How long is the gestation period for giant pandas?

In the wild, a panda gestation period ranges from 129 to 159 days, with an average of about 147 to 148 days. In captivity, it ranges from 84 to 160 days.

9. Is it true that pandas have difficulty breathing?

Research shows that pandas have no problems breeding in the wild. However, breeding problems exist amongst captive pandas.

10. Why is it still rather difficult for the giant panda to reproduce in captivity?

The main reason is that pandas don adapt themselves well to the presence of humans. Breeding success is increasing gradually as scientists learn more about the natural environment that helps giant pandas thrive.

11. Why do so many male giant pandas born in captivity show little interest in mating?

The reason is very complicated and it involves many aspects such as enclosure, nutrition, behavior, etc. You can imagine how embarrassed the timid pandas are in captivity!

12. Is inbreeding a problem for the wild giant panda population?

All species have developed ways to avoid inbreeding. So far there is no direct evidence that inbreeding is a problem for wild pandas. It is true that in some areas panda habitat has been fragmented into small patches, with isolated populations. In the future it will be important to monitor these populations and find ways to maintain their genetic diversity.

13. What does a newborn panda cub look like?

A newborn panda cub usually weighs 150 ?200 g (5-7 oz), and looks like a tiny, naked rat. They have pink skin that is barely covered with white hair, and they have a big head and a long tail.

14. What does the newborn panda cub feed on?

Newborn cubs feed on their mother milk.

15. Does the newborn panda cub grow fast?

Yes, a three-month old panda generally weighs between 5 and 5.5 kg, while a six-month old panda generally weighs between 12.5 and 12.2kg. A panda aged 1, 2, 3,4 years old weighs about 38kg, 72kg, 87kg, and 97kg, respectively.

16. It is said that the panda mother abandons her young after giving birth. Is this true?

In general, if a female panda produces twins, she raises one and abandons the other. In captivity, some mother pandas have been unable to care for their offspring. In this case, the abandoned panda cub may be raised by hand.

17. Do wild pandas abandon their cubs?

People who discovered cubs on their own in the den or up in a tree used to assume that they had been abandoned. Now we know that this was not the case. Researchers have found that a panda mother may leave her cub for over 48 hours when it is as little as two months old to go foraging for food.