Journal Entry 2

This is my journal entry 2. Its about Giant Pandas.

Some of the problems they face are natural, but some are caused by humans. Pandas do not have many offspring during their lifetime, and if they do have, the cubs are very small and may be attacked or eaten by leopards. Their diet, mainly on Bamboos, grows in large patches, and different types of bamboo flower in different years. After it flowers, the bamboo dies back, leaving nothing behind to be eaten. Bamboos sprout only every 80 to 100 years, and takes 20 years to grow enough to sustain a panda population.

Now, I'm going to tell you more about its appearances. The Giant Panda has a black-and-white coat. Adults measure around 1.5 m long and around 75 cm tall, at the shoulder. Males are 10-20% larger than females. Males can weigh up to 115 kg (253 pounds). Females are generally smaller than males, and can occasionally weigh up to 100 kg (220 pounds). The Giant Panda lives in mountainous regions, such as Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi.
The Giant Panda has a body shape typical of bears. It has black fur on its ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs, and shoulders. The rest of the animal's coat is white. Although scientists do not know why these unusual bears are black and white, some speculate that the bold coloring provides effective camouflage into its shade-dappled snowy and rocky surroundings. The Giant Panda's thick, wooly coat keeps it warm in the cool forests of its habitat. The Giant Panda has large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing tough bamboo.

The Giant Panda's paw has a "thumb" and five fingers; the "thumb" is actually a modified sesamoid bone, which helps the Giant Panda to hold bamboo while eating. Stephen Jay Gould used this example in his book of essays concerned with evolution and biology, The Panda's Thumb. The Giant Panda has the second longest tail in the bear family, with one that is 4-6 inches (150 mm) long. The longest belongs to the Sloth Bear. The Giant Panda can usually live to be 25-30 years old in captivity.

This is all about the panda's appearances.