why are giant pandas called "giant" pandas? are there such things as "regular" or "small" pandas?

Question

i was wonderin this while i was at the zoo today.

Answer 1

There is a red panda that in shape size and marking is very similar to the American raccoon. They are red in color however kind of rusty color actually.

Answer 2

I'm not sure, but I think it's because the original chinese people found it, and had never seen something that was quite as large. So basically, it's just a panda, but I don't think there are any other big bears in china, so they called it a "giant" panda. The males can weigh up to 600 lbs. I suppose it could be named after someone, and then said that it was just a giant version of it. You know, maybe there was a very respectable man or woman, and (s)he died, so they believed that when (s)he went into the afterlife, (s)he would be turned into an animal. A large animal. And that man or woman was named Panda, so when they found the giant panda, they just named it after someone named Panda and put Giant in front of it.

But I think the most logical answer is that it was just called a panda, but the europeans put the word "giant" in front of it. Kind of how we called a koala a koala bear, when it's not really a bear at all.

Answer 3

The giant panda is the only one there is. Even though there is such a thing as a red panda it is not in any way related to the giant panda.

There once was a species of panda called the Dwarf Panda and it was half the size of today's pandas. The whole panda group split off from the bears very early.

Answer 4

Good question! As others have said, the common name "giant panda" is comparative, because a superficially similar species that has been also called "panda" receives the name of "lesser panda".
The name "panda" was first used in the French language, and apparently derives from the Nepalese word for the lesser panda (Ailurus fulgens); it was only later applied to the black and white species (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).
According to etymological sources, the large species had been previously known as "parti-colored bear", but then the biologists hypothesized a close relationship between the larger species and the lesser panda, and started using the name "giant panda" to emphasize this relationship.
Currently the lesser or red panda is included in family Procyonidae, with the racoons and coatimundis, whereas the giant panda is usually included in the Ursidae with the true bears.

Answer 5

There are different types of pandas, like the red panda, etc. Giant pandas have giant heads in comparison to other bears such as polar, grizzly, brown, etc. I taught a unit on bears a few years ago. I don't remember if it was said that panda's heads are a 1/3 of their body, but something like that. Also, I discovered that pandas weren't really classified as bears afterall.

Answer 6

Giant pandas are not the only type of panda. there are also red pandas. If you want more information on red and Giant pandas go to http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm or http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-giant_panda.html
the national zoo has both but i am not sure about San Diego Zoo

Answer 7

giant panda in chinese means big bear cat...anyways giant panda sounds better then small panda because not all pandas are small..... and regular pandas? i don't think theres such thing as a 'regular' animal (panda)

Answer 8

There is such an animal as a red panda and it's not that big. That could be why.

Answer 9

As several people have mentioned there is a smaller red panda. We have one at the National Zoo near my apartment...

Answer 10

please ref. a starbucks menu...you'll better understand the panda nomenclature.