Africa is the home for many wild animals. It has a diverse natural environment that is good for the wildlife. Is it possible to see giant pandas in Africa? And do giant pandas live in Africa naturally?
The quick answer is no. Giant pandas are endemic animals. In simple terms, they will only exist naturally to the place where they are native. However, just like China, Africa has temperate rainforest too. Is that not enough for them to survive in Africa? And if not in the wild, are there any pandas living under captivity in Africa?
You might be wondering about these too, right? Well, the good news is, we have all the answers for you. Sounds great? Let’s get into it.
Where do giant pandas live in Africa?
As mentioned earlier, they do not live in Africa. Giant pandas are known to be endemic animals. They exist only in the places where they are native.
Africa has temperate rainforest too, but it is not the same as that in China. The rainforest in China has a lot of understories of bamboo. That is the reason why it is called bamboo forests. It’s also pretty obvious why they exist here naturally, right?
Moreover, giant pandas eat high amounts of bamboo every day. If there are no enough understories of bamboo in the wild of Africa, their survival is at stake. No wonder why they don’t live in Africa.
Do red pandas live in Africa?
Just like giant pandas, red pandas are endemic animals. They don’t naturally exist in Africa. However, unlike giant pandas, they can survive in both temperate and tropical rainforests. Thus, giving them higher chances of survival in Africa.
Does that mean they can live naturally in the wilds of Africa? The answer is still no. No matter how good they are, it’s not their natural habitat. That means they might have a hard time adapting to the new environment. And before they even adapt, they could be dead already.
Moreover, Africa is the home of wild carnivorous animals. So when animals like red pandas live in an unknown environment, they become food targets. Therefore, they cannot ensure their survival in the long run.
The red pandas may not live long in the wild, but they can in captivity. In fact, some red pandas are living in Johannesburg Zoo in South Africa. Here, they have the red pandas bred so they can reproduce.
Which continent are giant pandas native to?
Giant pandas are native to Asia. If we go by history, giant pandas used to live in Asian countries like Southern and Eastern China, Myanmar, and Northern Vietnam. But now, they are only found in Central China.
Moreover, they are specifically located in the mountain ranges of Sichuan, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces. Sichuan province is known as the Home of the Giant Pandas. Here the giant pandas live naturally in the temperate bamboo forest.
Furthermore, you can find them on continents like Australia, North America, and Europe. They are here not because they naturally exist, but because they are rented by animal institutions like zoos.
What countries have pandas?
Pandas are endemic animals. It means they only naturally exist in specific places. The giant pandas and the red pandas exist only in the following countries.
The giant pandas are endemic in China. Some countries rent giant pandas from the Chinese government and place them under captivity. Here is the list of countries that rent giant pandas.
- Oceania: Australia
- Asia: South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Russia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore
- North America: United States, Mexico, and Canada.
- Europe: France, Belgium, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Finland, Spain, Denmark, and the Netherlands
On the other hand, the red pandas are endemic in Eastern Himalayas in places like China, Nepal, and Bhutan. Though on some occasions, they passed through the borders of India and eventually choose to live in it.
Moreover, just like giant pandas, some countries around the world are taking care of them. The red pandas are nursed and bred in captivity like zoos or breeding centers. Here are the other countries where you can find red pandas.
- Oceania: Australia, and New Zealand
- Asia: Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore
- Africa: South Africa
- North America: Canada, and the United States
- Europe: Austria, Germany, Finland, Spain, Denmark, and the Netherlands
Conclusion
In this article, you learned that giant pandas do not live in Africa. You also learned the reasons why they cannot survive there. At the same time, you also determined the different places where pandas exist naturally. And the places where they live in captivity.
Just like you, animals want to live in places where they can live freely and naturally. Humans have to acknowledge this fact and live with it. Always keep in mind that there are times when you will not fit in, no matter how good you are. The same is true for wild animals.
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