Giant panda years ago) from the main ursine stock; since it is the most basal member of the group, it is equidistant from all other extant ursids. The giant panda has been referred to as a living fossil. Despite the shared name, habitat type, and diet, as well as a unique enlarged bone called the "pseudo thumb" (which helps them grip the bamboo shoots they eat) the giant panda and red panda are only distantly related. The word "panda" was borrowed into English from French, but no conclusive explanation of the origin of the French word "panda" has been found. The closest
Xiang Xiang (giant panda) year after his release. The Xinhua News Agency announced the panda's death May 31, 2007, over three months after the incident occurred, citing "the need for a full investigation" as the reason for the delay. Officials from the Research Center determined that a fall from the trees was the probable cause of death. Scratches on Xiang Xiang's body suggest that he was probably being pursued by other pandas when he fell. Xiang Xiang (giant panda) Xiang Xiang (; August 25, 2001 – February 19, 2007) was the first giant panda to be released into the wild after being bred and