Giant pandas are large fluffy, fun animals that are universally loved.

Pandas are now considered to be endangered due to habitat loss and fragmentation. They need dedicated conservation to protect their numbers. National Panda Day celebrates these adorable creatures and raises awareness about the dangers they face to help encourage conservation efforts.

The panda is the oldest living bear species and has been around for nearly 20 million years. True, they are bears. However, rumors that they are not bears have been disproven. They belong to the Ursidae family of bears, though they also share some traits with raccoons.

Pandas are a respected species in China’s native China. However, they are shy and isolated and rarely feature in Chinese art and history. This makes it difficult to find one panda (the great collective noun for these animals). It has been rare to see them. They are lovable and awkward, and they are incredibly popular. In fact, a Taiwanese Zoo painted a sun bear in black and white back in 1980s to pass it off as a giant panda!

National Panda Day was born out of the desire to protect these magnificent bears. Unfortunately, they require conservation efforts in order to recover from their current state. We risk losing these beautiful mammals forever if there are only 23,000 wild ones and only a handful in captivity.

National Panda Day promotes efforts to protect their habitat from climate change and urbanization, and supports their protection around the globe. It’s a day of hope as pandas numbers are slowly increasing again due to decades of conservation work. In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) reduced the species’ status from ‘endangered to ‘vulnerable.

We can all work together to continue these incredible advances and ensure the panda’s safety and well-being, both now and in the future.

Pandas are sensitive animals and any disruptions to their environment, which is limited to six mountain ranges in South-central China, can cause them to lose their ability to reproduce and become ill.

These adorable little tumblers are known for their fervent appetites and consume large amounts of bamboo every day. These bears were not designed to eat meat and are therefore omnivores and must eat a lot of leafy greens to get enough energy and nutrients.

The female pandas are notoriously poor at reproducing. They can only be fertilized for two to three days each year. Despite some improvements in recent years, there has not been much success in captivity. They are not prone to giving birth often so any loss in their numbers could be tragic.

These vulnerabilities are only made worse by man-made threats like farming and road construction, which shrinks and fragments the habitat that pandas rely on. The bamboo is growing higher up the mountains due to climate change, which in turn makes it less available. Pandas will not only struggle to eat, but habitat loss will make it more difficult for them to find mates.

It’s more than important to protect the panda population. They are vital to the preservation of the ecosystem surrounding them, helping forest vegetation flourish and other species in the region.

The zoo should be your first stop! There aren’t many zoos with giant pandas, due to their small numbers. However, it’s possible to find one close to you. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the cuddly bears, and to contribute to conservation efforts. If the stars align, you may even be able to see adorable and rare panda cubs.

Donate to a charity, animal sanctuary, or zoo that supports conservation if this is something you are passionate about. These cute animals can be adopted by organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), whose logo features a panda.

You should consider purchasing panda souvenirs, such as cuddly toys and artwork, to help protect the panda. To really raise awareness about this endangered species, you can purchase panda-themed desk accessories or panda clothing.

We searched the internet to find bizarre, fantastic, and even hilarious Panda-themed gifts and products so you can have fun at home. These are our top picks.

You can get caught up in pandamania, and make sure that they continue to eat bamboo for many years to come.