![]() ![]() Despite the small size, most bear skeletons showed a similar degree of maturity at birth as their relatives, with giant pandas being the only exception.įull-term baby pandas resemble a “28-week human fetus” in terms of bone density and maturity at birth, says Smith. The scientists failed to find any differences between hibernating bears and their nonhibernating relatives when it came to bone growth. The researchers looked at how much of the skeleton had ossified before birth, whether teeth had started to erupt, and examined the fusion between the neural arches, that is, the bony plates that make up the skull.Įven though Smith agrees that the prevalent theory is “an interesting hypothesis,” the researchers’ findings did not seem to support it. They then used the micro-CT scans to create 3D digital models of the animals’ skeletons. The researchers took micro-CT scans of giant panda babies, as well as other related animals, including baby grizzlies, sloth bears, polar bears, red pandas, domestic dogs, an African wild dog, and an arctic fox. ![]() ![]() With the exception of opossums and kangaroos, giant panda newborns are the smallest mammal babies compared with their mother’s size.īut why is that? To find out, Smith and Li examined skeletons from baby pandas that had been born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. They only weigh about 100 grams at birth. The red pandas live in the temperate forest where the temperature is 122-158 ☏ (50-70 ° C). Unlike bears, red pandas use their furs and tails as a form of protection. A study on their habitat and living conditions shows that the red pandas are better adapted to the cold than to warm conditions. The cubs do not leave their mother’s side until they are between 1.5 and 3 years old - out of a lifespan of about 20 years.įurthermore, giant panda babies are 900 times smaller in size than their mothers. Yes, red pandas can live in cold weather. They do not open their eyes until they are 6–8 weeks old, and they cannot move before the age of 3 months. There are a lot of intriguing - and somewhat endearing - facts about baby pandas.įor one thing, the giant panda newborns are particularly “helpless.” They are born blind, pink, and hairless. Kathleen Smith, a biology professor at Duke University in Durham, NC, and her former student Peishu Li, conducted the new research, which appears in the Journal of Anatomy. Share on Pinterest Baby pandas only weigh about 100 grams at birth. ![]()
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