What Do Pandas Like To Do?

What Do Pandas Like To Do

Giant pandas are known for their unique and gentle nature, captivating people around the world with their distinctive behaviors and lifestyle. While they are often perceived as slow-moving and solitary creatures, pandas lead fascinating lives filled with activities that reflect their specialized diet and natural instincts. From their constant search for bamboo to their love of climbing trees and playing, pandas engage in a variety of behaviors that help them survive and thrive in their mountainous habitats. In this article, we will explore what pandas like to do, shedding light on their eating habits, playfulness, and social interactions.

Eating Bamboo

The most defining behavior of giant pandas is their love for bamboo. Pandas are herbivores and spend up to 12 hours a day eating bamboo. They consume a variety of bamboo species, but their favorite types are typically tender shoots and leaves. Bamboo is low in nutrients, so pandas need to eat large quantities to sustain themselves. They can eat anywhere from 26 to 84 pounds (12 to 38 kilograms) of bamboo daily. To eat, they use their powerful jaws and strong molars to crush and chew bamboo stalks. Their “thumb,” actually a modified wrist bone, helps them hold the bamboo while feeding.

Climbing Trees

Pandas are excellent climbers, although they are not as agile as other bears like black bears. They spend a lot of time in trees, especially when they feel threatened or want to relax. Cubs particularly enjoy climbing as a way to practice their skills and explore their surroundings. Pandas climb trees to find food, seek shelter, or simply rest in the shade, particularly during the hot summer months. Some trees, like the ancient, hollow ones, are also used for sleeping or hiding.

Resting and Sleeping

Pandas are not very active for most of the day, and they spend a significant amount of time resting and sleeping. After eating, they typically nap to conserve energy. On average, pandas sleep between 8 to 12 hours per day, often in peaceful, secluded spots like tree branches, caves, or dens (Where Do Pandas Sleep in the Wild and Captivity?). When pandas are resting, they lie down comfortably, curling up or sometimes reclining in a relaxed position. Their quiet demeanor during this time contrasts with their vigorous activity when feeding.

Playing

While pandas are known for being solitary, cubs and younger pandas are very playful. They enjoy activities like tumbling, wrestling, and rolling down hills. Cubs especially use play to develop their coordination and physical strength. It’s common to see a young panda play with objects like branches, rocks, or even pieces of bamboo, pretending as if they are fighting or hunting (What do pandas play with?). Pandas in the wild may engage in light sparring with each other, but it’s mostly for fun and practice rather than aggression.

Marking Territory

Giant pandas are solitary animals and have distinct territories. They use scent-marking to communicate with other pandas and to establish boundaries. Pandas have scent glands located under their tails, and they often rub their backs against trees or other objects to mark their territory. They also leave behind scent marks from their paws, particularly when they travel along their home range. This helps pandas avoid unnecessary confrontations by signaling other pandas to keep their distance.

Swimming

Though not known for being strong swimmers, pandas are capable of swimming and enjoy it on occasion. They live in regions with streams and rivers, and they may enter the water to cool off or to cross to another area. Swimming helps pandas stay cool, especially in warmer climates, but it’s not as essential for them as climbing or eating.

Interacting with Cubs

Female pandas are very protective of their cubs. When a mother panda gives birth, she focuses all her energy on caring for and feeding her baby. Cubs are born blind and helpless, so the mother’s role is crucial in their survival. She spends much of her time nursing and grooming them. Cubs often interact with their mothers by clinging to her fur or playing on her back, mimicking climbing and other behaviors as they grow.

Communicating

Although pandas are generally solitary, they still communicate with each other (How do pandas communicate?), especially during mating season or when a female is in heat. They use vocalizations such as bleats, growls, and honks to signal their presence. They also communicate through scent markings to indicate their location and to alert others to their territory boundaries.