Is The Giant Panda In An Evolutionary Blind Alley?

Yes, it probably is. The panda is the only member of the Order Carnivora – the carnivores – the have become completely vegetarian. That is not really the problem as plenty of mammals are carnivores and they adapt to different conditions and thrive in different habitats.

The panda, however, has evolved to rely very heavily on bamboo shoots and it has developed a very elusive character. It was unknown to western zoologists until 1869 and has continue in hiding ever since. It was catapulted to world fame when it was adopted by the World Wild Life Fund but its fame has not helped its fortune.

It does not respond well to human settlement and moves away from villages and towns as far as it possibly can. The areas where its bamboo grows naturally have been depleted and pandas, who need mega amounts of bamboo to maintain their large bulk now live too far apart to ever meet, and so have difficulty mating and producing cubs.

A few have bred in captivity, but their shy disposition makes this a task too far for most places in the world.

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