I recently received an email from Michaela Henderson who was writing a report for her middle school class. She asked,
“Why are pandas colored the way that they are? Just to look cute, or to trap heat during the winter, or something else?”
I always get this question from strangers and especially kids that we lecture to. Well here’s the “official” answer:
Scientists aren’t exactly sure. One theory is that pandas developed the contrasting black and white colors over time so they would stand out in the forest and be able to find each other to mate. Another idea is that the broad blockings of contrasting color may serve to camouflage the panda in the bamboo or treetops.
Hmm . . . not very satisfying! I personally believe the second theory that states the black and white camouflages the bear. Why? Well maybe I’ll show you and you can decide for yourself.
Hua Mei’s cub has climbed to the top of the trees. Babies frequently do this in the wild while the mother goes to forage bamboo.
You can tell that the cloudy sky and dark branches make for the perfect back drop to blend right in. Imagine if she had been in the trees with leaves! She’d be impossible to find!
It is so hard to see the pandas when they’re sleeping and climbing in the trees, even the adults. The babies often climb to the tree tops while mom is foraging for bamboo (much like a little fawn gets left in their thicket while a mom deer eats). If they’re in a tree with lots of leaves it’s nearly impossible to see them unless you’re right by the tree (and even then the back lighting makes them blend in perfectly). The adult panda doesn’t have many natural predators but the babies can be eaten by snow leopards, jackals, and the yellow-throated marten.
Remember, pandas come from the mountain peaks of Sichuan Provence in China, so they’re coloring would also help camouflage them on the ground in winter when the white would blend in with the snow and the black would blend in with the dark trees.
And now you have my two cents on why pandas are black and white!
-Meg
went to see the Pandas at the Toronto Zoo and I was wondering why they are not white n blacke but black n cream yellowish color
Monique,
Pandas actually usually are a little more yellowish than pure white. This is especially true when it’s winter time and they don’t go into water features as much to take a bath. I’d bet that if you visit in high summer when the weather is warmest your two lovely pandas will be sitting in water and look much more white!
Thanks for reading!
I think it’s for camouflage
me to
so nice
Actually pandas were used to be just white, but one day a little girl was walking in the forest, when she saw a tiger attacking the pandas, so she went to save the pandas but the tiger ate, and the pandas were so sad that they rolled around in the mud, but it started to rain and the mud stained the pandas, and that is how pandas are now BLACK AND WHITE. THE END!
I know another theory/legend: A girl once saved a panda cub from a leopard, the girl died when the leopard attacked her, the pandas cried and pawed at the muddy ground,then rubbed each others faces and hugged one another. Leaving muddy black streaks on their faces and backs, and pandas have been that way ever since.
I love this legend! It needs to become a children’s book for sure! Thanks for sharing