8/15/2023 0 Comments Do pandas hibernate![]() ![]() A panda's average life span is 20-25 years in the wild and up to 30 in captivity. At birth, panda cubs weigh only about as much as a quarter-pound stick of butter (90-130 grams) and have little fur. Instead of burrowing away at the first sign of uncomfortable temperatures, like many bears do, giant pandas simply find a more comfortable place to relax and eat bamboo. Unlike other bears, pandas do not hibernate. ![]() But, rather, when the weather gets tough, the pandas get going. And it's not that their bodies can take the cold - they actually have relatively little body fat with which to insulate themselves from low temperatures. Giant pandas sleep for about eight to 12 hours a day. It's not that they don't like sleep - far from it. But pandas don't take part in any kind of hibernation, even under the loosest definitions of the term. Hibernation is a state in which animals stop using oxygen and rely solely on the carbon dioxide produced by their metabolism. They hide in the shadows of the trees and in the shadows of their caves. In their natural environment, pandas are solitary. If you've read How Hibernation Works, you know that the process can take on a variety of forms. And the answer is yes, pandas do hibernate. Would you be surprised to learn that, curiously, the giant panda, also called the "panda bear," abstains from this ancient, protective ritual? Many sun-loving humans would much rather sleep through the icy, snow-shoveling season and wake to a warm spring. ![]() And can we blame them? After all, winter can't be fun when there's little food and bitterly uncomfortable temperatures. As most of us learned early in school, bears, as well as several other animal species, undergo this long-term, sleep-like phase to escape from the bitter cold during winter months. Another important reason is the main food for pandas is bamboo, and bamboo will still grow during the. After a long period of observation, scientists discovered that although the temperature is low, pandas still can move freely and sleep on snow-covered bamboo. Bears are notorious for their hibernation habits. In fact, pandas do not need to hibernate, they are very active during cold weather. ![]()
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