- Mammary Glands: Like all mammals, pandas possess mammary glands that produce milk to feed their young. Female pandas have specialised mammary glands that are located on their chests and are used to nurse their cubs.
- Hair: Pandas have a thick coat of fur that helps them survive in their cold and mountainous habitats. Their fur provides insulation and protection against harsh weather conditions.
- Endothermic (Warm-Blooded): Pandas are endothermic animals, meaning they can regulate their own body temperature. They maintain a relatively constant internal body temperature regardless of the external environment.
- Viviparity (Live Birth): Pandas give birth to live young. After a gestation period of about 95 to 160 days, a female panda typically gives birth to a single cub (or, rarely, twins). The cubs are born altricial, meaning they are helpless and rely on their mother for nourishment and care.
- Nurturing Behaviour: Pandas exhibit nurturing behaviour towards their young. Mother pandas are known to be attentive and protective of their cubs. They carry and care for them for an extended period until they become independent.
- Respiratory System: Pandas have a diaphragm, a specialised muscle that separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities. This anatomical feature is characteristic of mammals and enables efficient breathing.
- Teeth and Dentition: Pandas have specialised teeth adapted for their unique diet of bamboo. They have broad molars with ridges that help them crush and grind the bamboo shoots and leaves they eat.
While pandas have some unique adaptations related to their diet and lifestyle, they possess various features that are common to mammals. These characteristics distinguish pandas from other taxonomic groups and place them firmly within the class Mammalia.