6 Mar 2017

Here's why pandas became black and white

Highlights

  • The giant panda's distinct black-and-white markings have two functions: camouflage and communication, a new study has found.
  • The study suggests that this dual colouration stems from its poor diet of bamboo and inability to digest a broader variety of plants.
 The giant panda twins Fu Feng and Fu Ban climb on a tree at Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria on March 3, 2017. (AP Photo) The giant panda twins Fu Feng and Fu Ban climb on a tree at Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria on March 3, 2017. (AP Photo)