Why Are Giant Pandas Fat Despite Eating Only Plants?

Why Are Giant Pandas Fat Despite Eating Only Plants

If you think giant pandas are chubby just because of their round shape, you couldn’t be more wrong. Scientific research shows that giant pandas don’t actually have much subcutaneous fat; their seemingly plump appearance is mainly due to their large skeletons and muscle mass.

Human Obesity vs. Panda Plumpness

Typically, human obesity is caused by consuming too many high-calorie foods that contain fats and carbohydrates, such as ice cream, chocolate, and fried foods, coupled with a lack of exercise—in short, eating a lot and moving little. Giant pandas, on the other hand, spend a long time eating each day and consume large quantities of food. However, their average daily movement distance is usually less than 500 meters. At first glance, it seems like pandas have all the qualifications to be “fat.”

But there’s a catch. Bamboo, which is a staple in the panda diet, is actually very low in calories. Furthermore, although pandas primarily eat bamboo, their carnivorous short intestines are not suited to digesting it efficiently. As a result, the nutritional conversion rate from bamboo is very low, about 17%. This means that the calories pandas consume from bamboo barely meet their daily energy requirements, leaving little excess to be stored as fat.

Evolutionary Adaptations for Survival

To survive in harsh natural environments, animals must either evolve strong physiques or develop lightning-fast hunting speeds. The “bear family,” which includes giant pandas, opted for the former. Pandas have robust bodies and powerful limbs. Coupled with the optical illusion created by their black and white stripes, which make them look even bulkier, they appear very large and imposing. This helps deter potential predators effectively.

The Real Reason Behind Their Appearance

Another reason pandas appear chubby is due to their stout limbs, which make their bodies look even more disproportionate. Measurements show that the shoulder height of a panda ranges from 71 to 86 centimeters, making them taller than most other carnivores like snow leopards, wolves, and maned wolves.

Why Do Pandas Have Such Sturdy Limbs?

Historically, the main predators of giant pandas were saber-toothed tigers, South China tigers, and packs of dholes and wolves. To escape danger, pandas often had to climb trees. As a result, they evolved strong and powerful limbs to support their hefty bodies and facilitate quick climbing.

Other Animals That Look Fat

Adult hippos weigh over a ton and look like oversized barrels. Their bodies are large, with thick bones, well-developed muscles, and thick skin. Their heads, necks, and limbs are particularly stout. We know that the primary function of fat is to store energy, but hippos live in the hot climates of Africa. Therefore, even though hippos look fat, they actually have a thin layer of body fat.