Celebrate National Panda Day Every March 16
March 16 is National Panda Day
Not only does every dog have its day, but so does every panda. And for the Giant Panda, that day is National Panda Day. It happens on March 16, and you must fill your day with all things panda.
Which shouldn’t be too hard, because pandas are everywhere. In pictures, videos, & blog posts. But sadly not so much in real life. Their habitat range is shrinking, and while conservation has helped increase their population in recent years, they still need a lot of help.
So the world definitely needs this day to remind us that the adorable panda needs us to care. And to act.
And the world does love its pandas! This particular day seems to be US-centric. But in 2017 WWF China created International Panda Day on October 27. So you’ll have another chance to celebrate these adorable bears.
And there’s nothing stopping you from celebrating National Panda Day even if you don’t live in the US!
A Bit About Giant Panda Bears
Giant Panda Bears—or just pandas to most of us—are cute, cuddly-looking, black & white bears native to China.
Are they really bears?
Yes, pandas really are bears. Unlike Australia’s koala bears, which aren’t any kind of bear. Of course most of the time we don’t add the “bear” to the name of either animal. We know what they are just from their “first” names!
And being bears, they’re not as cuddly as they look. Or cuddly at all in most cases (except the tiny babies, of course!).
At one time scientists thought they were related to raccoons. We’re not sure why. Maybe the mask? But they’re not. They’re bears.
Are they really giant?
So “bear” is accurate, but “giant” is a bit of an overstatement. Pandas are mid-sized bears. Polar Bears, Black Bears, and many Brown Bears easily outweighing them by 2x or more.
But that doesn’t mean they aren’t big! Adult males weigh around 250 – 300 pounds. Females are a bit smaller at around 220 lb. That’s big, but not giant. Adult male polar bears weigh 1000 pounds or more. Now that’s giant!
So why are pandas called giant? To differentiate them from the red panda, apparently. And compared to the red pandas’ 6 – 14 pound weight, they are giant. But the 2 animals aren’t actually related. In fact, the red panda is a species all by itself!
(By the way, the red panda has it’s own day too. International Red Panda Day happens in September)
But back to the Giant Panda.
[do_widget id=text-4 title=false]What do they eat?
Pandas eat bamboo. A lot of bamboo. As much as 20 kg (44 pounds) or more of the stuff each day. Why so much? Because bamboo isn’t very nutritious, so they need to eat a lot of it to get the nutrients they need.
They eat all of the plant, from the stems to the leaves & roots. They’re able to hold & tear their meals with their “false thumbs” (enlarged bones in their wrists). And their woody meal doesn’t tear up their guts because those guts produce lots of mucus for protection.
They do also eat fruits, other plants, and even fish & meat. But not much. Bamboo makes up about 99% of their diet.
Are they endangered?
Yes! There are only around 1,500 – 2,000 left in the wild. A big part of the reason for that is the loss of their bamboo forests, depriving them of both habitat & food.
Where do pandas live?
Pandas live in the rainy, mountainous forests of China.
They don’t hibernate, so they move around their mountains depending on the season. When it gets cold they move down the mountain to a warmer spot. And back up when the weather warms up.
This is why it’s so important to keep lots of bamboo forest available for the pandas! They need both summer & winter homes.
What do pandas do?
Well, they eat! Pandas spend more than half the day just eating to get the nutrition they need.
Lucky for them, they’re good at climbing the trees they eat.
They can swim too. And of course, they need to sleep.
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficially adorable holiday.
Celebrating National Panda Day
The day is about recognizing the need to protect these bears. So help do that. Individuals and companies can all use their voices, especially on social media, to spread the word about #NationalPandaDay & awareness of the threats to our pandas.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your love of pandas, too.
So …
Individuals
If a zoo near you has any pandas, go visit! Unfortunately that won’t be easy for most of us. As far as we can tell, the only US zoos with pandas right now are the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the Memphis Zoo, and Zoo Atlanta.
So the next best thing might be panda videos! Those are much easier to find. Like this bit of panda silliness that’s sure to brighten any day.
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If you’d like to learn more about the panda, start with these websites.
- WWF’s Pandas page
- Panda Facts from Pandas International
- The San Diego Zoo’s Giant Panda page
Your kids might like books about pandas.
- National Geographic Readers – Pandas, for kids 5 – 8 years
- Panda Rescue: All About Pandas and How to Save Them
- Amazing Animals: Pandas, recommended for kids 6 – 8 years
Heck, you might like the books too!
You and your kids might also like to create panda artwork. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be very artistic. You can create digital artwork with panda clipart.
You can also find free printable coloring pages for the kids.
- Fun panda images from DLTK’s
- Panda coloring pages from coloring.rocks (there’s pictures for both adults and kids here!)
You might like this I love Panda Coloring Book for adults.
If there are any charities you like whose work includes panda conservation, consider making a donation in honor of the day.
Or just show off your love of pandas with all kinds of panda products …
- Panda socks
- A panda hoodie (it even has ears!)
- A panda water bottle
Companies
If your company is one that regularly contributes to conservation causes, investigate whether you might like to include panda & bamboo forest conservation in the mix.
You could even match employee donations to approved charities. (Make sure employees know their contributions are completely voluntary, of course!).
If your company isn’t involved in environmental or conservation efforts, consider changing that. And making pandas your first beneficiary!
If your company sells or manufactures bamboo products, highlight the eco-friendliness of these items. As long as you are using environmentally friendly practices, of course. And stress the fact that they’re made from a different species of bamboo than what the pandas eat! Consider donating a portion of the profits from sales of your bamboo items during the week of National Panda Day (or even the entire month of March!) to panda conservation efforts.
So, how will you be celebrating National Panda Day this year?
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