Giant panda to digest cellulose is ascribed to the microbes in its gut. Pandas are born with sterile intestines and require bacteria obtained from their mother's feces to digest vegetation. The giant panda is a "highly specialized" animal with "unique adaptations", and has lived in bamboo forests for millions of years. The average giant panda eats as much as 9 to 14 kg (20 to 30 lb) of bamboo shoots a day to compensate for the limited energy content of its diet. Ingestion of such a large quantity of material is possible because of the rapid passage of large amounts of indigestible
Taotao (giant panda) the title of "ambassador of harmonious zoology" on Taotao. Taotao died from brain thrombus and a cerebral hemorrhage on April 2, 2008, at the Jinan Zoo. She had been in declining health since the brain thrombus disease was discovered in February 2008. Taotao lived far beyond the average life expectancy of a giant panda, who usually live to the age of 25 years. Taotao's remains will reportedly be returned to Gansu province. As of 2008, over 200 of the giant pandas that are native to China live in captivity around the world. Taotao (giant panda) Taotao ( c. 1972 –