More Information On Pandas

For thousands of years the Chinese have regarded the Giant Panda as a very special animal. Once kept by Chinese emperors as pets, pandas were described in ancient lore as being mystical and magical - capable of warding off evil spirits.

Giant Pandas are found in the wild only in the mountains of central China, where they live in dense bamboo and coniferous forests at altitudes of 5,000 to 10,000 feet.

Giant Pandas are among the rarest mammals in the world; It is estimated that fewer than 1,000 exist in the world today. Because they rely on bamboo as their primary food, pandas are under threat unless their present habitat is protected from development. The Chinese government has established over a dozen nature preserves in areas where bamboo flourishes and Giant Pandas are known to live. Plans are currently underway to designate many more preserves.

The Giant Panda is a large mammal that has the same general size and shape as the American black bear or the Asiatic black bear. However, unlike the black bear, Giant Pandas do not hibernate and cannot walk on their hind legs. Pandas average four to six feet long and weigh between 175 and 275 pounds. The life span of Giant Pandas in the wild is thought to be between 15-25 years.

Giant Pandas must eat large amounts of bamboo each day in order to get sufficient nutrition to survive. Pandas feed 12-16 hours a day, consuming approximately 20-40 pounds of bamboo leaves and stems.

The Giant Panda reaches breeding maturity between 5 and 8 years of age. Mating usually takes place in the spring, and 3 to 5 months later one or two cubs, weighing 3 to 5 ounces each, is born in a sheltered den. The low reproductive capacity of the Giant Panda makes it particularly vulnerable to the threat of extinction.

FedEx Express is proud to utilize its extensive global transportation network to transport Ya Ya and Le Le to Memphis, Tennessee, ensuring these two new pandas are viewed and enjoyed over the next 10 years at the Memphis Zoo.