Many animals we see around have pouches to carry their babies. But do giant pandas have pouches too? All we see about them is a big fluffy body covered with a lot of furs all over them. Are they hiding something behind their thick furs?
In this article, we are going to learn about giant panda bodies and if they have pouches. Generally speaking, we know that pouches are present in animals that we call marsupials, and they are present because these animals do not have a very long gestation period to allow the proper growth of their babies.
Let’s get into this and learn about do giant pandas have pouches.
Do panda bears have Pouches?
The answer to this question is a clear No. Giant pandas do not have pouches. Pouches are characteristics of marsupials. But giant pandas are placental animals and do not possess pouches to carry their babies.
Hence, their babies grow within their mother’s bodies, and the nutrients are supplied through the placenta. The placenta is a connection between the mother, panda bear, and baby through which it is attached at the point of the belly button.
How do panda mothers take care of their babies?
So how do the giant panda mothers take care of their small and tiny babies outside their womb – without any pouches to keep them safe?
The giant panda mothers have a fairly long gestation period ranging from 112 to 163 days. This allows the baby pandas to fully develop within their mother’s womb. However, they are very tiny and small when they are born – and the giant panda mother keeps them very close to them.
The panda mothers are very loving and affectionate – just as we consider giant pandas are: fluffy cuddle bears and very loving. With the passage of time, they grow and learn to take care of themselves on their own. It is only then that their mothers let them out of their sight.
Female giant pandas are one of the most caring mothers the world has ever seen!
Do red pandas have pouches?
Closely relating to giant pandas are red pandas. So, after learning the answer to “do giant pandas have pouches?” the next question that pops in our minds is that do red pandas have pouches? The answer is another “no.”
It turns out that red pandas and giant pandas are not only related to one another because of their bamboo eating characteristics but because of certain other factors as well. And one such factor is the absence of pouches for both of them.
None of the two animals we call pandas have pouches! The red pandas also have a gestation period of 3 months which is sufficient for the essential development of their babies. So, when they are born, they are able to survive without the assistance of their mother red pandas.
What other animals have pouches?
The animals that have pouches to carry their babies until they are fully grown are known as Marsupials. Sometimes, we refer to them as “pouched animals.” These animals usually have a very small gestation period. That is the reason why marsupials need pouches to take care of their babies.
Their adult females have pouches or marsupium that are outside their bodies and are used to carry their babies. Some examples of animals possessing pouches are as follows:
- Kangaroos
- Koalas
- Wombats
- Possums
In addition to the marsupials, there are certain other animals that have pouches. Some of these are temporary – but are present at some stages of their lives. Some of them include male seahorse, echidna, sea otter, and chipmunk, etc.
Conclusion
Giant pandas are super adorable, cute, and caring. Particularly now that we know the answer to do giant pandas have pouches, it is more evident that they are very dedicated mothers. In this article, we learned that giant pandas do not have pouches because of the fact that they are not placental mammals. Although their babies are very small, and taking care of their small babies won’t be easy without a pouch. However, it’s remarkable that they do it quite perfectly.
Hence, it proves that not only the giant pandas are affectionate towards humans, but to their own kind at first. They take care of their children and always keep them in their sight.
For more information about giant pandas and to unveil other facts about their lifestyle, diet, activities, habitat, physical appearance, and anything else, refer to our blog section and read out the latest blogs!
Below is a Pinterest friendly-photo… so you can pin it to your “Panda” Board!
