January 20, 2007
2006 is a Record Year for Giant Pandas
In 2006 34 Giant Panda Bears were born in captivity in China and 30 of them survived. This is the record for the most Panda Bear's born in captivity and gives hope to the future of the Giant Panda, which is an endangered species. The previous record was 21 Giant Pandas born in captivity in 2005.
It is currently estimated that about 1600 Giant Pandas live in the wild making them one of the most endangered species on the planet. The good news is that it is believed that the wild population of Giant Pandas is on the rise. There are around 250 Giant Pandas living in captivity. Most of these are in China as well.
In the United States, Giant Pandas can be found at the San Diego Zoo, the US National Zoo (Washington, DC), Zoo Atlanta, and Memphis Zoo. Giant Pandas are actually the most expensive animals for a zoo to keep. US Zoo's typically have to pay fees of $2M per year to the Chinese government to keep Panda Bears.
About the Giant Panda Bear
Giant Pandas are known for their distinctive black and white coat and markings. Giant Pandas live in the mountains in central China. Although they are classified as carnivores, they primarily live on bamboo. Although Giant Pandas are cuddly looking, they are still bears and can be dangerous to humans.
Back to
Kids
News
