Each hand bears a specialized metacarpal bone in the wrist that functions as a thumb would in humans, to allow them to grasp the circular bamboo stalks. They have extremely powerful jaws and associated muscles to crunch through the woody stems of bamboo. The low nutrient value of bamboo figures prominently in the biology of the giant panda. Other focus topics of research done by Zoo Atlanta have included studies on spatial memory pregnancy detection and monitoring and maternal and developmental behavior. Research done at Zoo Atlanta has also demonstrated that giant pandas have color vision. Research at Zoo Atlanta has demonstrated that vocalizations, although seemingly subtle, are crucially important communicative tools, especially during the reproductive season. Males regularly scent-mark the margins of their territories by adopting a “headstand” position to mark a bamboo stalk with their anogenital glands. Giant pandas communicate with one another in dense bamboo forests primarily by scent. Security cameras suggested by Don Stephens allow the giant panda care team to observe the giant pandas in various dens, dayrooms or outdoor locations. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center also serves as a vital means of behavioral observation. While PandaCam is now viewed and enjoyed by people around the world, the camera systems in the Zoo’s Arthur M. Despite the availability of other plants, they feed almost exclusively on bamboo.īehavioral research has long been a hallmark of the giant panda program at Zoo Atlanta. They are unique because, although they evolved among the mostly carnivorous bear species of the world, their diet is vegetarian. Giant pandas are bears and are members of the Order Carnivora.

The great zoo