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Post by brobear on Nov 10, 2022 1:56:17 GMT -5
GIANT PANDAS FACE VERY FEW PREDATORS - credits to King Kodiak: wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge_hub/endangered_species/giant_panda/panda/kung_fu_panda_enemies_defences/ A fully grown panda is far too formidable a foe for most predators, but some animals can prey on cubs. Potential predators include jackals, snow leopards and yellow-throated martens, all of which are capable of killing and eating panda cubs. Indeed, the 2008 animated blockbuster Kung Fu Panda tells the story of Po, a panda who is an apprentice noodle-maker and kung-fu fanatic, and whose greatest enemy is Tai Lung: a fierce kung-fu fighting snow leopard. In real life, snow leopards, which are also endangered, share some of the same habitats as the black and white bears and pose a threat to young pandas. CAN PANDAS FIGHT BACK? Giant pandas are solitary and peaceful animals, which will usually avoid confrontation, but if escape is impossible, they will certainly fight back. And as cuddly as they may look, pandas can protect themselves as well as most other bears by using their physical strength, and powerful jaws and teeth. Pandas can grow up to 1.5m long and weigh as much as 150kg. (331 pounds) And while their large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles are designed for crushing bamboo, they can deliver a very nasty bite. In addition, giant panda are excellent climbers, with cubs able to clamber up trees when they are just 6 months old. They can also swim and, unlike most other bears, do not hibernate for months at time during winter. With all these attributes in their arsenal, fully grown giant pandas can defend themselves against most predators.
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Post by brobear on Nov 10, 2022 3:36:43 GMT -5
The giant panda, or panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca, literally meaning "black and white cat-foot") is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo. Pandas in the wild will 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 feed. The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province, but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. The giant panda has a black-and-white coat. Adults measure around 1.2 to 1.8 meters (4 to 6 ft) long, including a tail of about 13 cm (5.1 in), and 60 to 90 centimeters (1 ft 10 in to 2 ft 10 in) tall at the shoulder. Males can weigh up to 160 kilograms (350 lb). Females (generally 10–20% smaller than males) can weigh as little as 75 kg (170 lb) but can also weigh up to 125 kilograms (280 lb). Average adult weight is 100 to 115 kilograms (220 to 250 lb). *Note: Roughly the size of a sloth bear.
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Post by brobear on Nov 10, 2022 3:51:21 GMT -5
Credits to 'Taker; Reply #16: meridian.allenpress.com/jwd/article/51/4/849/123990/DENTAL-ABNORMALITIES-OF-EIGHT-WILD-QINLING-GIANT Dental health is important for panda survival in the wild. Although, no statistical correlation between dental health and mortality was found (likely due to the small sample size), both pandas that died during the study had poor dental condition, systemic health problems, and malnutrition before death. Poor dental health could cause anorexia, which would result in decreased bamboo intake and cause malnutrition and weakness. A weak wild panda will lose in territorial fights and be forced to live in areas with low bamboo density. With limited bamboo resources, the animal would have to eat tough bamboo stems to survive. Ingested bamboo fragments with sharp edges could cause ulcers or perforation of the digestive tract, causing gastrointestinal disorders and other systematic problems and, finally, lead to death. Thus, deteriorating dental health in wild giant pandas could be life-threatening. Despite its taxonomic classification as a carnivore, wild giant pandas are primarily herbivorous, with a diet consisting of 95–99% bamboo (Reid and Jinchu 1991; Tang 1992; Huang 1993). However, they retain the digestive system of a carnivore, and thus derive little energy and little protein from the consumption of bamboo (Hu 2001; Wan et al. 2003). Because the diet is low in nutrition, it is important for a wild giant panda to keep its digestive tract full. An average wild giant panda eats 9–14 kg of bamboo shoots for at least 14 h a day (Reid et al. 1989; Reid and Jinchu 1991; Tang 1992). Constant chewing and extensive use of the teeth result in severe tooth wear (Fig. 1F). Tooth wear in most wild pandas was symmetrical, indicating that tooth wear may be mostly mechanical, and wild giant pandas alternate the usage of their teeth, resulting in a symmetrical chewing pattern (Fig. 1G). Tooth fracture and mandibular and maxillary bone fractures were common in wild pandas. The uniquely shaped canine teeth were the most fractured, followed by incisors. Although they prefer tender bamboo shoots and leaves, death and regeneration of bamboo or a harsh season means pandas in the wild may have to eat tough stems (Johnson et al. 1988; Reid et al. 1989; Reid and Jinchu 1991; Liu et al. 2002), causing trauma to their teeth. During mating season, males fight for mates and better territories (Schaller et al. 1985; Hu 2001). We observed that when they fight, they bite their opponent’s neck and face, locking teeth and throwing their heads back and forth. Such behavior can result in canine tooth fracture and maxilla or mandibular fractures (Fig. 1D, E). When compared with captive panda in Beijing Zoo and other bear species, the wild giant panda’s diet contains more bamboo and less sugar (Manville 1990; Tang 1992; Hu 2001; Holmstrom et al. 2004; Zhang 2004; Stromquist et al. 2009; Jin et al. 2012). They are also younger than average age during examination, with more alkaline saliva similar to Swedish brown bears (Ursus arctos; Stromquist et al. 2009). Moreover, all captive giant pandas at the Beijing Zoo were Sichuan pandas, with smaller skulls and smaller teeth that have deeper and more uneven grooves (Wan et al. 2005; Liu et al. 2009; Jin et al. 2012); they also do not fight for mates or territory. These anatomic, dietary, behavioral, and physiologic differences may explain the wild Qinling pandas’ fewer dental caries, greater tooth wear, and more severe tooth fractures compared with captive giant pandas and some other bear species. Similar to the captive panda study by Jin et al. (2012), all wild Qinling pandas had different degrees of dental plaque and mild to moderate calculus, with increasing severity with age. Serious periodontal disease was not found, because the flavonoid compound in bamboo can act as an antiseptic and antioxidant; the bamboo fibers also can brush the tooth surface preventing the formation of plaque and calculus (Tang 1992; Sato et al. 1996; Williams et al. 2004; Zhang 2004; Jin et al. 2012). Oligodontia was common in wild giant pandas as in captive giant pandas, with first premolars being the most frequently missing teeth (Jin et al. 2012). Further research is needed to determine the reason for the absence of the first premolar. Limitations of this study include the small sample size of wild Qinling giant pandas. Dental plaque samples were not collected owing to equipment and legislative constrains. We could not achieve long-term follow up on all eight wild giant pandas. Our findings may have important clinical application, but they cannot elucidate all patterns and epidemiology of dental and periodontal diseases in the wild panda population. Further studies are needed to compare the oral microbial flora of wild and captive giant pandas and to investigate the relation of dental abnormalities in terms of giant panda behavior, chewing patterns, and chances of survival in the wild.
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Post by brobear on Nov 10, 2022 3:55:16 GMT -5
Quote: During mating season, males fight for mates and better territories (Schaller et al. 1985; Hu 2001). We observed that when they fight, they bite their opponent’s neck and face, locking teeth and throwing their heads back and forth. *Note: I have watched dogs do this. When one locks his teeth and begins violently shaking his head back and forth, this does some ugly damage to his opponent. But, bottom line, a giant panda is not without fighting experience. Also note, a point I bring up occasionally, when kittens play, they are instinctively playing at "stalk and ambush" as cats are hard-wired ambush predators. Bear cubs play differently. A bear, including the giant panda, from early cubhood, play wrestles. He spends hours every day of his early life practicing to be a fighter, until the day he takes off on his own.
A big cat is an experienced hunter; an ambush predator. He is an experienced killer. A bear is an experienced fighter; more experience in face-to-face combat. This includes what might be the most peaceful of all bears, the giant panda.
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Post by OldGreenGrolar on Jan 11, 2023 6:33:20 GMT -5
/\ I think the giant panda can beat a Jaguar more often than not at most depending on the weight difference.
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Post by brobear on Jan 11, 2023 6:37:03 GMT -5
/\ I think the giant panda can beat a Jaguar more often than not at most depending on the weight difference. I would wager on the giant panda; but not much. We have not witnessed a giant panda fighting any animal other than his own kind; and that very little.
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Post by Granolah on Feb 8, 2023 18:15:59 GMT -5
/\ I think the giant panda can beat a Jaguar more often than not at most depending on the weight difference. Jaguars are my favorite cat.
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