Behavioural, Physiological, and structural adaptions
Behavioural Adaptations: Every year the giant panda migrates down to stay warm during the winter. When the giant panda is threatened it will bow its head and growl to ward off predators. A giant panda communicates by honks, snorts, and whistles. Since the giant panda's main food source is bamboo (which has little nutritional value) they will conserve energy by moving slowly even though they are capable of moving fast. Adult giant pandas like to live alone. Another way that panda's communicate is through sent marks. Mother pandas will play with their young to enhance their survival skills.
Physiological Adaptations: Since the giant panda has a strong digestive system it is able to consume bamboo. The lining of the giant panda's esophagus is reinforced so that the bamboo fibers cannot break through on its way down to the stomach. The giant panda's stomach also has a tougher lining, as well as stronger muscles, to help with the digestion of the tough bamboo. Furthermore, the short intestines that the giant pandas developed allows for the passage of bamboo through the giant panda's digestive system to be quick.
Structural Adaptations: Since the majority of a giant panda's diet is bamboo it has developed a very large head due to its larger jaw muscles, required to bite and chew the thick bamboo. In addition, its molar teeth have been adapted to be very smooth and large, which is not normal among bears because bears are carnivores. Giant pandas have also developed a sixth toe which helps the giant panda better grasp the bamboo that it is eating. This sixth toe comes from the wrist bone of the giant panda. Their digestive system has also adapted to their diet of bamboo. The oesophagus and stomach has developed a strong lining so it will not tear, the intestines are shorter due to the high cellulose content of bamboo, and the colon is larger since it is putting much more into its body while producing waste less frequently.
Physiological Adaptations: Since the giant panda has a strong digestive system it is able to consume bamboo. The lining of the giant panda's esophagus is reinforced so that the bamboo fibers cannot break through on its way down to the stomach. The giant panda's stomach also has a tougher lining, as well as stronger muscles, to help with the digestion of the tough bamboo. Furthermore, the short intestines that the giant pandas developed allows for the passage of bamboo through the giant panda's digestive system to be quick.
Structural Adaptations: Since the majority of a giant panda's diet is bamboo it has developed a very large head due to its larger jaw muscles, required to bite and chew the thick bamboo. In addition, its molar teeth have been adapted to be very smooth and large, which is not normal among bears because bears are carnivores. Giant pandas have also developed a sixth toe which helps the giant panda better grasp the bamboo that it is eating. This sixth toe comes from the wrist bone of the giant panda. Their digestive system has also adapted to their diet of bamboo. The oesophagus and stomach has developed a strong lining so it will not tear, the intestines are shorter due to the high cellulose content of bamboo, and the colon is larger since it is putting much more into its body while producing waste less frequently.
