The truth about the giant panda
By Aadi (Year 8)
This week, the Year 8 scholars learned all about giant pandas. In the popular imagination, pandas are often characterised as an “an evolutionary failure”, with some people even suggesting that the species should be allowed to die out. But Biology teacher Dr Nicholls argued that the giant panda should really be considered as an evolutionary success story.
“The species has been around for some 20 million years in roughly its current form, which is almost 20 million years longer than modern humans,” said Dr Nicholls. “From fossil evidence, we know that historically the panda’s ancestors once occupied a vast range that extended beyond China’s borders rather than the fragmented strongholds in which the species still survives. It is only down to human activity and not the panda’s biology that the population has been reduced to around 2000,” he said.
The scholars learned how the panda’s carnivorous teeth, impressive bite force of 2000 N and “pseudo thumb” help them to survive on a diet that is almost exclusively made up of bamboo.
“Pandas are interesting creatures with more surprises than meet the eye,” said Dr Nicholls. Overall, the scholars really enjoyed the talk and found it “surprising and interesting.”
