Do Giant Pandas Live in Dens? (Must Read!)


Pandas and bears are somewhat related but share little in common. A thing to know about bears is that they mostly build dens where they stay and sleep in. Moreover, being among the bear family makes many wonder, do giant pandas live in dens?

No, giant pandas don’t live in dens. Unlike bears, giant pandas don’t hibernate and stay in permanent dens. They search for shelters just as they search for food because sleeping and eating is their normal daily routine.

Knowing that these cute creatures don’t live in dens, you might be wondering, where exactly do pandas live? Let’s dive deeper into this article to know more.

Where Do Giant Pandas Live?

Giant pandas naturally live in the wet mountains of China, where there’s lots of bamboo forest around. Aside from the pandas living in conservation centers, these forests are their natural homes. 

This is a habitat that’s quite comfortable for them having a large territory to themselves with no pack, clan, or group of pandas at all.

Bamboo Forest in China

What’s more interesting is that they don’t even defend their territories. They live freely in these areas and sleep as much as they eat. One can say the only thing important to them is eating their bamboo which takes more than half of their day.

Also, in their habitats, they have no specific spot they stay or rest. It’s not just their thing to hibernate. They normally find anywhere comfortable to rest. As you read on, you’ll get to know more about the type of shelter giant pandas do live in, especially if they have any specific one.

What Type of Shelter Do Giant Pandas Live in?

Tree Branches - Shelter for Giant Pandas

Pandas have no specific shelter they stay in. Giant pandas are quite picky in their diet but not a shelter. With creatures who don’t have specific sleeping times, almost anywhere comfortable is okay for them to rest or take their deep naps including the open forest grounds. 

However, they can live both high and low to stay protected and covered from harm. These shelters could be on trees or branches high above the forest ground. This way, they’ll be safe from any possible predators. 

Also, they could even go for hollow shelters around the forest grounds, like caves or hollowed-out trees during winter, when it’s pretty cold. 

These aren’t permanent areas they stay in. However, they are areas they could look for to stay secured from any possible threat. Aside from this, you’ll find them eating bamboos openly almost all the time.

Do Giant Pandas Live in Captivity?

Giant Panda Living in Zoo

Yes, they do! Pandas live this way even better and longer. It could be conservation areas or zoos to help protect the panda species and grow their population as breeding doesn’t go too well in the wild, especially for an animal that can give birth once a year.

The pandas living this way, under human protection, have been doing so better than in their homes out there in the wild. And because of this means of conserving pandas, these rare creatures are gradually escaping extinction.

Final Thoughts

In summary, giant pandas don’t live in den. They pick anywhere comfortable to shelter whenever they want, even a temporary den. Dens are common with most predators like foxes, wolves, and even bears, but not pandas. 

There are a lot of exciting things about the panda bear and hopefully, you now know the cute creatures don’t have specific lairs, dens, or any hidden area they stay in. 

Moreover, if you found this article helpful, don’t hesitate to share it!