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Adaptations The most obvious adaptation to help it eat many different types of Bamboo is its 'sixth toe'. The Giant Panda has five regular appendages that humans would consider toes or fingers. It also has a sixth 'thumb' that allows the Giant Panda to grasp Bamboo better for eating. It also helps the Panda pull the shoots and leaves off of Bamboo stems. The Pandas 'thumb' is actually an extension of the wrist bone. It is a very important adaptation for the Panda to be able to eat so much Bamboo. The Giant Panda Bears head is also an adaptation to eating Bamboo. Giant Pandas are in the family Ursidae, which is the bear family. The Giant Panda has a very large head compared to the other species in its family. The head is so large because Bamboo is a very strong, hard plant. The Panda needs very strong jaw muscles to chew the Bamboo therefore the head has gotten larger to accommodate the larger jaw muscles..

Habitat Due to expanding human populations and development, the species is now restricted to only 20 or so isolated patches of mountain forest in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. The panda's habitat surrounds the great Sichuan Plain. To the north are the Qinling Mountains and to the west are the Minshan, Qionglai, Liangshan, Daxiangling, and Xiaoxiangling Mountains.

Classification - Consumer Feeding/Diet: Despite the giant panda's classification of a carnivore, their diet consists of primarily bamboo. However, the panda still has the digestive system of a carnivore, and therefore takes away little protein and energy from the bamboo it consumes. The average panda eats around pounds of bamboo each day. Because the giant panda consumes a diet that is low in nutrition, it is important for them to keep their digestive tract full. The Giant Panda is a heterotroph due to the fact that it can not synthesize its own food and is dependent on organic substances for their nutrition. The Giant Panda is the primary consumer in its habitat because it eats only bamboo and nothing eats it. Trophic Level: The Giant Panda is a primary consumers in the food chain. They consume large amounts of bamboo in their habitat

Roll In The Food Web Its Roll its to eat Bamboo, and lots of it.

Why The Population is At Risk The population is at risk because of the ever expanding human population that cuts out of the Giant Pandas Habitat eventually causing them the diminish in population.

Current Strategy for Recovery Deforestation and bring back some of their habitat and continue to release the cubs born in captivity back to the wild. The cubs are gradually weaned and then accustomed to life alone and finally released to the wild. Hunting is not as large of a problem thanks to strict law, the main problem is habitat loss and failed natural breeding. So the plan is to let the panda breed and re- populate without any disturbance.