It has long been believed that pandas have no survival instincts, but the reality is quite different. The giant panda evolved in an extremely specific setting: it lives almost entirely on bamboo in mountainous regions with few predators. The issue is that bamboo is a low-energy diet, which explains their slow, laid-back behavior. In the wild, they know how to find food, avoid danger, and care for their young. However, biology gets in the way: an extremely short mating window, low fertility rates, and when twins are born, the mother usually focuses on only one. With habitat loss and dependence on conservation programs, they become vulnerable outside their perfect environment. The bottom line is that they do have instincts, but they only work well at the “right address.” Take them out of it, and it’s like survival mode won’t load. To prove the point that pandas can, indeed, survive on bamboo, check out the video below. This 220-pound panda eats all day and runs on low energy mode, but he sure seems to have a lot of fun doing it.
