This information has been copied from the China Giant Panda Museum, in order to provide you with accurate information. You can read much more about Giant Pandas and the research that is being done on their website: China Giant Panda Museum
Diseases and Natural Enemies confronted by Giant Pandas Disease In normal conditions, diseases may be the most harmful to the survival of the giant pandas. The diseases in the digestive system, the respiratory system, the nervous system and the hemopoietic system are usually fatal. The pandas will have all kinds of tumors, the endoparasites and ectoparasites diseases, skin diseases and traumas, which can affect the health and life-span of the giant pandas. Digestive system diseases: vomit, diarrhea, blood in stool, and ileuses; Natural Enemies The giant pandas hold themselves aloof from the world, but in the habitat, there are still some
Respiratory system diseases: cold and upper respiratory tract infection;
Nervous system diseases: falling sickness;
Hemopoietic system diseases: hemolytic anemia, seasonal febrile diseases;
The parasites: the panda ascarids and tick acarids animals that are their enemies, such as the Asian golden cats, the leopards, the jackals, the wolves and the yellowthroated martens, which will mainly attack the baby pandas, the sick ones, the weak ones and the aging ones. Because the young and strong giant pandas still haven't lost the ferocity of their flesh-eating ancestors, they will not be afraid to face the strong ones, and make the enemies be scared. If the giant pandas in the zoo that seem to be docile and naive are provoked, there could be accidents.
The jackals: mainly attack the giant pandas in childhood, the sick ones, the weak ones and the aging ones. The unique hunting skill is to climb onto the back, gouge out the eyes first, then snap at the anus and pull the intestines out, which is called "dig dog".
The leopards: attack the giant pandas in childhood, the aging ones, the sick ones and the weak ones.
The Asian golden cats: often attack the baby giant pandas.
Ecological Systems and Neighbors of Giant Pandas
In the habitats of giant pandas there are other animals like golden monkeys, the tufted deer, and red pandas that live in harmony with giant pandas. Enjoying a common habitat, they each have their own living space, food range, thereby forming a harmonious relationship in their day and night activities during the different seasons. (1) Golden Monkey: A rare animal peculiar to China, the golden monkey has a beautiful name: "the blond lady who inhabits on the trees." In the homeland of the giant pandas, the room they occupy is mainly the lush crowns of the trees, and they live on the shoots and the soft leaves of the trees, on the threadlike lichen sunlo that is hung, and on the lumpy covering on the bark.
(2) Gnu: it is a rare animal that can only be found in the intersecting mountain range of the Himalaya. Often living in groups, they live on the shoots and the soft leaves of the trees as well as all kinds of green grass. In winter, they also feed on bamboo leaves.
(3) Red Panda: red panda is also called the lesser panda. For this reason, many tourists mistake it as the baby of the giant panda. Another name of the red panda is nine-section fox, which came from its nine-section tail of red and yellow. In the Wolong Panda Protection and Research Center, you can have a look at the brilliant red pandas, the friends of human beings. When you get into the Red Panda Museum, keepers in the museums will give some fruits or foods that the red panda enjoys. Just put the food on your palm, they will run over to you and stay with you even when they have finished their food. Like naughty boys, they will not let you go utill the keepers lure them away with food. But, don't worry too much---they will not hurt you.
Red pandas are more widely distributed than giant pandas. They are mainly found in the bushes of the temperate zone, from east Nepal to the Himalayan mountains to north Burma then to China. One difference between red pandas and giant pandas is that red pandas live in families while giant pandas often live alone. The French priest David once said, "They are called by the Chinese 'babies in the mountain' because their sounds are similar to that of young babies."
Red pandas eat almost only bamboo; yet, unlike giant pandas, they do not eat bamboo stalks, but only bamboo leaves or shoots according to different seasons. Besides, they also eat a variety of wild fruits such as the chokeberries, gooseberries and few other fruits.
You can read more about pandas at these links:
