Giant pandas

An unusual food adaptation

A vegetarian carnivore!

The giant panda lives in the mountainous regions of China, at altitudes of 1,500 to 3,400 metres above sea level. Although it is classified as a carnivore, it almost exclusively eats bamboo shoots. Its digestive system, however, is still that of a carnivore; it therefore has a limited ability to digest the cellulose in bamboo, which happens to also be very poor in energy. To compensate for this low energy intake, the giant panda eats up to 20 kg of bamboo each day and spends almost 14 hours a day feeding. The rest of the time, it conserves its energy by sleeping for 10 to 20 hours a day!

Beauval Nature finances giant panda reproduction in China

The giant panda is classified as a vulnerable species for two main reasons: “the fragmentation of its habitat” and “its complicated reproduction”, with the female only being in heat for 3 days each year.

The arrival of the pandas at the ZooParc de Beauval in 2012 marked the start of Beauval Nature’s involvement in the conservation of this species. In 2016, Beauval Nature made a commitment to the Chengdu giant panda reproduction base to help finance the reintroduction of pandas in China. Beauval Nature thus purchased 3 GPS collars needed to monitor the animals.

And what about Yuan Meng?

Yuan Meng left for China, heading for the Chengdu breeding base to ensure his own descendants. The young panda, the first baby born in France in August 2017, therefore left the territory of the Heights of China. His departure aroused great emotion because he has amazed visitors and Beauval teams since his birth. But it’s a half surprise because it was always planned that he would leave one day… Good luck Yuan Meng!