Unlike other bears, panda bears do not hibernate.
Many panda lovers wonder whether panda bears share the same habit as black bears and hibernate through the winter. The thought behind this question is that pandas seem to be quite energetic even when the winter is around the corner. How come?
Giant pandas have been successfully transferred from carnivores in ancient times to modern vegetarins, as a result of adapting to living environment changes. They live basically on bamboo now, and due to the low digestion rate of this main food, pandas have to eat a hug amount of bamboo for more than ten hours a day. Therefore, they cannot store enough food, fat or energy to hibernate in the winter.
Another key reason for no hibernation is that panda bears can always get food throughout the year, even in the winter. There is enough bamboo in the habitat where giant pandas live, which is mountainous areas with an altitude of 2000-3000 meters and a warm temperature around 20℃, perfect for bamboo growth. When the winter comes, giant pandas just move to a lower altitude in the mountains and keep living a comfortable life.