Pandas
Famously fond of bamboo, these cuddly creatures possess digestive tracts similar to those of animals with a preference for a meat-centric diet. Now, Chinese researchers believe they might understand the reason behind this discrepancy.
It is claimed that overindulging in the large, rapidly growing vegetation can affect the hidden predators’ actions and modulate the bears’ olfactory and gustatory senses.
Originating from southwestern China, pandas consume bamboo for as long as 16 hours each day, with studies released Friday in the journal Frontiers revealing that they absorb a type of genetic material known as microRNA (miRNA) into their bloodstreams.
The molecule has the potential to affect how genetic data moves throughout pandas’ systems, thereby influencing their behavior, according to research conducted by China West Normal University located in Sichuan province.
Dr. Li Feng, a senior author from the university, stated, “miRNA has a role in regulating the gene expression of giant pandas.”
Li and his team discovered that the molecule plays a role in shaping various physiological functions within pandas’ bodies, such as development, biological cycles, behaviors, and immune reactions.
“He mentioned that miRNA in bamboo plays a role in regulating the sense of smell, taste, and dopamine pathways in giant pandas, all of which are connected to their eating behaviors.”
The research team thinks that as a baby panda matures, it will acquire the skill to select the ripest and most nourishing bamboo, facilitating their adjustment to a herbivorous diet.
The research relied on blood samples collected from six grown pandas and one young panda. In these samples, researchers identified 57 instances of miRNAs presumably originating from bamboo.
They believe this finding could enable scientists to gain deeper insights into how plant microRNAs impact animals, which might lead to new approaches for treating or preventing illnesses, as stated in the research.
Although pandas’ diets primarily consist of bamboo leaves, stems, and shoots, approximately 1% of what they eat comes from other plants—and occasionally meat like small rodents—according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Around 1,800 pandas inhabit the wilderness, wandering through mountainous regions within China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces, according to the WWF.
The primary dangers facing wild pandas are habitat loss and fragmentation, making conservation efforts difficult. Additionally, their low reproductive drive complicates these preservation attempts. Once born, panda cubs are incredibly delicate infants.
Over the past few decades, China has significantly increased its endeavors to protect pandas, expanding the number of panda reserves from 12 to 67.
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