Giant pandas are primarily herbivores and do not typically eat fish as part of their natural diet. Despite being classified as members of the Carnivora order, pandas have evolved to rely almost entirely on bamboo (The Evolution of Diet of Giant Pandas). Their ancestors were likely omnivorous, but over millions of years, pandas adapted to a bamboo-centric diet due to ecological and environmental factors, particularly as they settled in regions where bamboo was abundant.
However, pandas do occasionally consume other vegetation and even small amounts of meat if they find it. In the wild, pandas have been observed eating small animals or carrion on rare occasions, but these instances are infrequent and generally opportunistic rather than a regular part of their diet.
In captivity, pandas receive supplementary food items, including fruits, vegetables, and specially formulated biscuits that provide essential nutrients bamboo lacks. Fish, however, is generally not included in their diet, as pandas do not naturally seek out or hunt aquatic prey. The dietary needs of pandas are carefully managed in captivity to mimic their natural bamboo diet, so adding fish would not align with their dietary evolution.
Pandas’ bodies are not adapted for hunting or fishing, and their behaviors, tooth structure, and digestive abilities have evolved to process bamboo rather than animal protein. They lack the necessary skills and natural instincts for fishing, unlike other bear species such as the brown bear or polar bear, which have diets that naturally include fish.
In summary, giant pandas do not eat fish because their diet and biology have adapted almost exclusively to bamboo consumption. While they can occasionally eat small animals in the wild, fish is not a part of their diet, either in the wild or in captivity.