National Panda Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Every year on March 16, we fete the fluffiest, bamboo-munching bears that are a source of national pride for China. There are two subspecies of panda: the Giant, black and white panda, and the “Qinling panda” – a much smaller, brown subspecies of panda discovered in 1985 in the mountain ranges of China’s southern Shaanxi Province. In the wild, gigantic pandas are only found in China’s remote, mountainous regions. The panda’s status was upgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in 2019 as a result of its swiftly expanding population.

Due to habitat degradation, farming, fur hunting, and other factors, it is estimated that there are fewer than 2,000 pandas remaining in the wild. In the wild, pandas only survive 15 to 20 years, but in captivity, they can live even longer. Panda bears play an important role in the ecosystem of China’s bamboo forests, by spreading seeds, and therefore, growing new vegetation, which serves both humans and animals. Therefore, it is essential to protect the panda and its habitat.

The low reproduction rate of pandas is a factor that contributes to their endangered status. Given that female pandas are only reproductive two or three days per year, it makes sense that this species has a more difficult time reproducing in the wild. There are approximately 27 zoos worldwide that protect Giant Pandas and foster reproduction-friendly environments. The most essential aspect of panda conservation is the protection of their habitat, particularly bamboo forests, their primary food source.

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The background of National Panda Day

Although the origin of this holiday is unknown, we can assume it was created to raise awareness of the panda’s beauty in order to prevent their extinction. In 1961, the World Wide Fund for Nature was formed, and created their logo around the Panda, because it is “an animal that is beautiful, endangered, and loved by many people in the world,” as said by Sir Peter Scott, one of the first WWF founders. The panda became a symbol of the worldwide conservation movement — a call to action to protect endangered species and natural habitats for our wild animals.

Due to reproduction efforts in institutions, reforestation, and conservation efforts, pandas are deemed “vulnerable” to extinction by the year 2020. Though they are no longer on the brink of extinction, it’s essential to keep the environment for pandas intact, as the giant panda plays an important part in our natural ecosystem. There have been some political debates in China and worldwide recently on how important it is to keep spending money to breed pandas in captivity, and preserve the forests of China, where the wild panda bears reside. According to a scientific paper published by The Society for Conservation Biology in 2015, preserving the giant panda’s natural habitat also benefits 70% of the country’s forest birds, 70% of its mammals, and 31% of its amphibians. Pandas serve an essential role in forests, and it is our responsibility to safeguard them.

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NATIONAL PANDA DAY ACTIVITIES

Observe a documentary about pandas in nature.

The animated series ‘Kung Fu Panda’ is a good starting point, but real-life documentaries do pandas more justice. Watch “A Panda Is Born — Documentary About Taishan” to learn about the life of one of the world’s most famous pandas, who was born at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and is the first panda to reach adulthood.

Wear pandas to spark a discussion.

Wear clothing with panda logos or purchase panda merchandise, particularly if it aids in the conservation of the panda species. You never know who might be interested in learning more about these creatures than their fluffy attractiveness.

“Adopt a Panda”

You can sponsor and virtually “adopt” a panda online, thereby contributing to their survival. The cost to care for a panda in captivity can be expensive, but you are providing these creatures with extended, peaceful lives.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PANDAS

This equates to up to 83 pounds of bamboo per day, depending on which parts of the bamboo are consumed.

The panda’s scientific name, Ailururopoda melanoleuca, literally translates to “black and white cat food”

They can see around 6 weeks of age. Throughout their lives, they rely on spatial memory more than visual memory.

Pandas use their enlarged wrist bones to eat, which function as opposable digits.

From March 1978 to October 2016, Jia Jia, a gigantic female panda at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, lived to the age of 38.

NATIONAL PANDA DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	March 16	Thursday
2024	March 16	Saturday
2025	March 16	Sunday
2026	March 16	Monday
2027	March 16	Tuesday