26

NEWS

The Edmonton Sun n Tuesday, March 26, 2013

IN MINUTES

News and events visually

FROM CHINA WITH LOVE

WHO: Giant pandas
Er Shun (Mandarin Chinese for double smoothness) Sex: female Born: Aug. 10, 2007 (age 5) Da Mao (Big Mao) Sex: male Born: Sept. 1, 2008 (age 4)

Panda express
Wild pandas live only in remote bamboo forests in the mountainous regions of central China. They may climb as high as 3,962 m to feed on higher slopes in the summer season.

Two giant pandas that landed in Toronto Monday morning were touted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a symbol of Canadas deepening relationship with China. He described the pandas as symbols of peace and friendship with all Canadians.

PANDA HABITAT

CHINA
MYANMAR THAILAND VIETNAM

FROM: China TO: Toronto STOP OVER: Vancouver FLIGHT TIME: 18 hours DISTANCE: 12,000 km ON BOARD MEAL: Bamboo,
water and apples

The giant panda was once widespread throughout southern and eastern China, as well as neighbouring Myanmar (Burma) and northern Vietnam. Due to expanding human populations and development, the species is now restricted to only 20 or so isolated patches (green) of mountain forest.

DURATION OF STAY: 10 years

(5 years at the Toronto Zoo, 5 years at the Calgary Zoo)

Vancouver China Toronto

Giant pandas get much of the water they need from bamboo which is about 90% water. FedEx prepared special enclosures for the animals inside the panda-themed aircraft. Veterinarians from the Toronto Zoo travelled with the pair.

Giant pandas have large molar teeth and strong jaw muscles for crushing tough bamboo. Pandas can grow to a height of more than 1.2 metres. Giant pandas do not hibernate.

Bamboo accounts for 99% of a giant pandas food consumption. In the wild, pandas spend up to 16 hours a day collecting and eating food.

Giant pandas While at the breed between the ages Toronto Zoo, Er of four and eight. Females are Shun and Da Mao only receptive to breeding will also be fed leaf once a year for a period of eater biscuits, dog 24 to 72 hours. Gestation lasts chow, apples and 95-160 days. vitamins. A newborn cub is pink, The giant hairless, blind and toothless, panda's tail, weighs only 80-200 measuring 10 to 15 grams, and is about cm (4 to 6 in), is Giant pandas 15 cm long. the second-longest can eat

average weight
The giant panda typically lives around 20 years in the wild and up to Giant pandas 30 years in are endangered. captivity. There are only Cost of keeping the pandas in Canada:

100kg

Sources: Reuters; National Geographic; World Wildlife Fund; Wikipedia; Graphic News

of bamboo per day

20 kg

in the bear family.

$1 million
annually

giant pandas left in the wild. China has 63 panda reserves, which preserve their habitats and support breeding programs

1,600

SUSAN BATSFORD, GRAPHICS EDITOR, TWITTER @SBATS1/QMI AGENCY