Do Pandas Get Their Water From Bamboo? (Yes! -Here’s How)


Giant pandas are adorable, easy-going creatures that love eating bamboo. While these cute animals spend all day eating this diet, it’s understandable that they’ll need to drink enough water. But how do these bears get water? Do pandas get their water from bamboo?

Amazingly, the answer is YES! pandas get most of their water from bamboo. Usually, fresh bamboo shoots contain a lot of water, which is an advantage for the panda bears. However, water from bamboo is not always enough, so these cute animals lookout for other sources.

Would it be nice to become a giant panda? – you get both food and water from bamboo. But as we said, the water from bamboo is not always enough for them. So, where else do the giant pandas find water to drink? 

Read on as we answer this question and more in this article! 

Where Do Giant Pandas Find Water?

Most times, giant pandas get water from streams and rivers whenever the water from bamboo is not enough. One important thing about pandas is that they eat a lot. And to allow easy digestion and survival, they need to drink lots of water.

In the wild, giant pandas eat around 26 -84 pounds of food every day.  But they often eat rodents, grass, and other plants besides bamboo. That’s why you will hardly see pandas playing around because they mostly eat, sleep and rest. 

While in captivity, the panda bears eat different diets like potatoes, apples, carrots, rice, and so on to satisfy their seemingly insatiable hunger. Despite these diets, the pandas’ food is not complete without bamboo. 

Even though the fresh bamboo shoots contain 90% water, and the plant itself contains about 5% water, it is not always enough for the pandas. To satisfy their thirst, the giant pandas usually visit the streams and rivers at least once daily. Fortunately, these water sources are mostly from melting snowfalls, especially in the wild.

How Much Water Does a Panda Need to Survive?

A panda eating lots of bamboo

Since pandas in the wild and captivity eat a lot of bamboo and other diets, they need lots of water to survive. Although some plants, especially the fresh ones, contain water, the pandas need more than that to survive. 

Like other animals, drinking enough water prevents dehydration in pandas and helps them to remain healthy. To survive, the giant pandas need water in abundance. It is impossible to determine the exact amount of water pandas need to survive.

How Much Water Does a Panda Drink Each Day?

Pandas drink around 2 to 3 gallons of water every day. Although the giant pandas’ excess diet causes them to feel thirsty, their simple daily activities also contribute to the need for more water. In captivity, most especially, different materials are always available for pandas to play with.

Sometimes, the panda bears roll around in the snow, down the mountains, and even play with different toys in their environment. These activities cause the pandas to use their energy and often make them thirsty.

Whenever the water from plants is not enough, the panda bears take a walk to the nearby river or stream. That’s why there are always rivers in panda breeding centers; so that the giant pandas can easily satisfy their thirst any time of the day. 

Conclusion

We have now come to the end of this article. But before you leave, take note of the major details.

All we’ve discussed is that pandas get their water from bamboo. Also, they can get water from rivers and streams. In addition, the panda bears need a lot of water to survive as they eat between 26-84 pounds of food every day.

Finally, the giant pandas drink about 2 to 3 gallons of water each day to allow easy food digestion.

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