Does the giant panda belong to the bear family? And why does this question cause diagreement among zoologists? PLEASE ANSWER!!!
2007-03-05 06:55:13 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Giant Pandas are in the bear family - DNA research has figured this out. Before this animals sometimes were lumped in a certain family based on tooth structure, skin markings etc. DNA is a lot better way to figure out animal classification because is does so at the molecular level. Red Pandas, which look racoons and coatis are - surprise!... in the same family as racoons and coatis.
2007-03-05 08:15:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The giant panda is from the family ursidae, which is the bear family. It was for a while classified with raccoons, but science is now pretty sure that it's a bear. It's closest relative is the spectacled bear...
2007-03-05 15:16:22 · answer #2 · answered by Theresa A 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People have argued over the classification of pandas for a while. The website listed below says that genetic studies have settled the issue, saying that pandas are ... bears.
And here's another:
http://www.bearplanet.org/pandabear.shtml
2007-03-05 15:01:30 · answer #3 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pandas belong to the bear family but they eat bamboos so people think that pandas and bears are different
2007-03-05 16:55:53 · answer #4 · answered by jareck 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋