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.Other parts of its diet include honey,eggs,fish,yams,shrub leaves,oranges,and bananas when available.
The giant panda lives in a few mountain ranges in central China,mainly in Sichuan province,but also in the Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.Due to farming,deforestation and other development,the panda has been driven out of the lowland areas where it once lived.
The panda is a conservation reliant endangered species.A 2007 report shows 239 pandas living in captivity inside China and another 27 outside the country.Wild population estimates vary; one estimate shows that there are about 1,590 individuals living in the wild,while a 2006 study via DNA analysis estimated that this figure could be as high as 2,000 to 3,000.Some reports also show that the number of pandas in the wild is on the rise.However,the IUCN does not believe there is enough certainty yet to reclassify the species from Endangered to Vulnerable.
While the dragon has historically served as China's national emblem,in recent decades the panda has also served as an emblem for the country.Its image appears on a large number of modern Chinese commemorative silver,gold,and platinum coins.Though the panda is often assumed to be docile,it has been known to attack humans,presumably out of irritation rather than predation.
中文
大熊貓（學(xué)名：Ailuropoda melanoleuca）,在臺(tái)灣也可稱作大貓熊,一般稱作「熊貓」或「貓熊」,屬于食肉目的一種哺乳動(dòng)物,體色為黑白兩色.熊貓是中國(guó)特有種,現(xiàn)存的主要棲息地是中國(guó)中西部四川盆地周邊的山區(qū).全世界野生大熊貓現(xiàn)存大約1590只左右,由于生育率低,加上對(duì)生活環(huán)境的要求相當(dāng)高,在中國(guó)瀕危動(dòng)物紅皮書等級(jí)中評(píng)為瀕危物種,為中國(guó)國(guó)寶.
大熊貓黑白相間的毛色使其深受喜愛(ài),在1961年世界自然基金會(huì)成立時(shí)就以大熊貓為其標(biāo)志,大熊貓儼然成為物種保育最重要的象徵.大熊貓也是中國(guó)作為外交活動(dòng)中表示友好的重要代表.