Dear Readers,
Some of the information in this fact sheet, like a panda, has become fuzzy. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is working to bring you an updated version of the Giant Panda Fact Sheet with additional science and conservation information. Thanks for your patience, as we quietly leaf through the research literature.
Please check back soon. SDZWA team members can email questions to library@sdzwa.org.
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Polygynous mating
Courtship
Mating season
Female behavior
Reproductive success
Estrus
Fertilization and implantation
Gestation and birth
Interbirth interval
Infant characteristics
Birth - Infant (1.5 years) (Schaller et al. 1985)
Sub adults: 1.5-5 years
Adults: (Howard et al. 2006)
A giant panda mother holds her newborn cub against her body.
Cubs develop slowly. Teeth begin erupting during the third month but nursing continues for 8 or 9 months.
Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.
Garshelis (2004)
Howard et al. (2006)
Nie et al. (2012)
Owen et al. (2016b)
Pan & Lü (1993)
Reid & Gong (1999)
Schaller et al. (1985)
Snyder et al. (2004)
Swaisgood et al. (2003b)
Zhang et al. (2007b)
Zhu et al. (2001)