WHEN FIRST LAYING EYES ON THESE WONDERFUL CREATURES, CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OFTEN RETURN TO US. HOW WONDERFULLY SAFE AND SECURE WE WERE AS WE CUDDLED UP TO OUR FAVORITE STUFFED TOYS. PANDA BEARS SEEM TO HAVE THIS APPEARANCE, BUT IN REALITY THEY ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE. THEY LIVE IN BAMBOO FORESTS LOCATED IN THE HIGH ELEVATIONS OF CHINA, NOT ONLY DOES BAMBOO SUPPLY THESE BEAUTIFUL PANDAS WITH LIFE SUPPORTING FOOD, BUT BAMBOO FORESTS ARE ALSO VERY DENSE. THIS HELPS PROTECT THEM FROM PREDATORS THAT SHARE THEIR HABITAT.
PANDAS HAVE EVOLVED TO PERFECTION IN THESE SPECTACULAR FORESTS, THEY FEED MOSTLY OF BAMBOO, AND ONLY OCCASIONALLY WILL THEY NIBBLE ON OTHER DELICACIES. TWO TYPES OF BAMBOO GROW IN THE PANDA’S HABITAT, ONE VARIETY GROWS AT HIGHER ELEVATION AND THE OTHER ONE BELOW IT. BECAUSE BAMBOO IS NOT VERY NUTRITIOUS, PANDAS WILL CONSUME AN AVERAGE OF 35 POUNDS PER DAY. MUNCHING ALL DAY CAN CREATE A CALM, RELAXED ATMOSPHERE, WHICH IS SPENT ALONE. ONLY FEMALES WITH YOUNG'S ARE SEEN TOGETHER EXCEPT FOR THE BRIEF PERIOD OF MATING, WHICH USUALLY HAPPENS AROUND APRIL OR MAY.
WHAT A MIRACLE IS TO SEE A NEWBORN PANDA. WEIGHING ONLY OUNCES AT BIRTH, THESE BABIES MAY GROW TO EXCEED 200 POUNDS AS AN ADULT. A MOTHER PANDA HAS HER WORK CUT OUT FOR HER; AS PANDA CUBS DO NOT USUALLY WEAN UNTIL THEY ARE APPROXIMATELY A YEAR OLD. CUBS SPEND THE FIRST PART OF THEIR LIFE CUDDLED IN THEIR MOTHERS ARMS. AFTER THEY GROW A LITTLE, THEY ARE THEN FREE TO MOVE ABOUT ON THERE OWN, THIS OPEN A WIDE WORLD OF EXPLORATION AND PLAY.
IT DOES NOT SEEM POSSIBLE THIS EXAMPLE OF "EVERYTHING WONDERFUL" COULD EVER DISAPPEAR, BUT PANDAS ARE IN EXTREME DANGER. THE THREAT OF POACHER’S SNARES ARE STILL NOT ELIMINATED, BUT EVEN MORE THREATENING, LAND DEFORESTATION IS INCREASING. MAN IS SLOWLY TAKING AWAY THE PANDAS HABITAT AND SEPARATING THEIR TERRITORIES. THIS SEPARATION WILL INCREASE THE CHANGE OF INBREEDING, ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF GENETIC DEFECTS. ONE DEFECT IS THE SLOW DOWN OF THE REPRODUCTION RATE WHICH WITH PANDAS, IS ALREADY TO SLOW.
ALL OF THESE FACTS SOUND PRETTY GRIM, BUT THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR THE PANDA’S SURVIVAL. RECONNECTING TERRITORIES BY SETTING ASIDE LAND AND REPLANTING THE BAMBOO FORESTS WILL ENHANCE THEIR CHANCES. TOURISM, NATURE CONSERVANCIES, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE ALSO WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS A SOLUTION. BY CONTRIBUTING IN OUR OWN WAY, WE ALL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THROUGH EDUCATION AND PULLING TOGETHER OUR RESOURCES, PROGRESS CAN BE OUR SUCCESS. FINDING A BETTER WAY IS THE KEY FOR LIVING IN HARMONY, SIDE BY SIDE WITH NATURE.
To see our products and order them click here
Elephant Florida Panther Siberian Tiger Home
