Giant Panda

On the Brink: Reclusive herbivores, giant pandas once enjoyed a wide range in southern China. However, habitat destruction and poaching for their valuable fur have killed off most of them, leaving only about 1,600 in the wild (though some recent studies put the number between 2,000 and 3,000).

The Bamboo Bear: The ancestors of the giant panda were carnivores, but its diet has evolved into one of mostly stalks and roots of the slow-growing, nutrient-poor bamboo. Giant pandas spend 10 to 16 hours a day eating the 20 to 40 pounds of bamboo needed for its daily quota.

A Solitary Life: Giant pandas forage over a large area to get enough; a typical home range is about 1.5 to 2.5 square miles. The solitary giant panda comes together with others only to mate.