Don’t be fooled by the preciousness of giant panda cubs; their mothers do not spoil them at all. To prepare their offspring for the challenges of nature, giant panda mothers begin teaching various survival skills from a few months old, gradually increasing the difficulty. In addition to basic skills such as climbing trees, orienting themselves, distinguishing food, eating bamboo, and avoiding predators, panda mothers also conduct important resilience training for their cubs. The purpose of this training is to reduce the likelihood of injury and lessen the severity of injuries in dangerous situations, such as accidentally falling from a tree or slope.
When the cubs climb to a certain height, the mother panda will gently grasp the cub’s tail or fur on its back with her mouth while using her forearms to provide additional protective support. Like all bears, giant pandas have a high bone density, and their thick muscles and fur are quite sturdy. During the resilience training, the cubs’ round bodies help absorb shocks, and with their mother’s careful protection, the cubs are unlikely to get hurt.
When teaching fighting techniques, the panda mother might swat with her paws, bump with her mouth or shoulders, or gently drag a cub by grasping a part of its body. Throughout these exercises, she carefully controls her strength to ensure that her cubs do not get injured.
While the scenes of a panda mother training her cubs may seem a bit harsh, most panda mothers are quite competent and nurturing. In captive environments, some nurturing panda mothers will accept and care for cubs that are not genetically related to them, which is rare among solitary animals.
Which Animals Exhibit Similar “Tough Love” Behaviors Like Giant Pandas in Raising Their Young?
One notable example is the vulture, which builds its nests on steep cliffs. When the young birds reach about six months of age, the mother vulture encourages them to learn to fly. If a fledgling is too hesitant to take the leap, the mother will push it off the cliff to help it overcome its fear of flying.