What Do Giant Pandas Eat?

What Do Giant Pandas Eat

Giant pandas were once known as “iron-eating beasts” in ancient times. Legend has it that pandas would enter human homes to lick iron pots to obtain salt. However, their excessive force sometimes caused them to bite off the edges of the pots, leading ancient people to believe that pandas were eating iron. But isn’t bamboo enough for giant pandas? Why do they need to supplement their diet with salt?

Salt as a Vital Element

Salt, primarily composed of sodium chloride, is a crucial element for sustaining life. Animals need salt for various bodily functions, and a deficiency can lead to symptoms such as nausea and fatigue. While pandas don’t have the option to buy salt from stores like humans do, they still have their own ways of obtaining it. For instance, herbivores such as cows and sheep lick soil and rocks to get their salt. Primates like monkeys and baboons may consume salt crystals from their companions’ sweat, while carnivores obtain salt from the blood of their prey.

Dietary Evolution of the Giant Panda

The ancestors of the giant panda, known as Ailurus, were carnivorous and obtained their salt from various small animals. However, as giant pandas evolved to primarily consume bamboo, they had to find alternative sources of salt. This supplemental food can be divided into plant-based and animal-based categories.

Statistics show that while these supplementary foods make up only about 1% of a giant panda’s diet, there are over 50 different types, including nine types of animal-based foods that are rich in trace elements, including sodium chloride.

Like all bears, giant pandas will seize any opportunity to satisfy their hunger and meet their energy needs. Due to their herbivorous diet, pandas are less agile and slower at tracking prey compared to other carnivores, making it challenging for them to catch wild animals. When bamboo is scarce, pandas may target livestock, which are relatively easier to catch. Therefore, it’s not surprising that they occasionally consume salt from iron pots.

Related Knowledge

Daily Bamboo Consumption

In the wild, giant pandas consume between 12 to 15 kilograms of bamboo daily. In captivity, where food sources are more abundant, their average daily intake increases to 20 to 30 kilograms. Adult pandas spend between 12 to 18 hours each day feeding.

Diet of Aging Pandas

Older giant pandas often struggle to chew bamboo effectively due to dental issues. In captive environments, caretakers provide processed bamboo powder to older pandas to ensure they receive the necessary nutrients.

Specialized Diets in Other Animals

Besides giant pandas, other animals also have highly specialized diets. For example, the white rhinoceros in Africa primarily feeds on grass due to the structure of its mouth and teeth, which makes it difficult for them to consume leaves and branches.