Why is the giant panda black and white?

Tim Caro, Hannah Walker, Zoe Rossman, Megan Hendrix and Theodore Stankowich

Behavioral Ecology, 2017, vol. 28, issue 3, 657-667

Abstract: Lay Summary We use comparative information on carnivores and bear subspecies to investigate coloration of the giant panda. We find that white fur on the body is for matching white snowy backgrounds, black fur on legs is for camouflage in shade, but that markings on the face are for communication to other pandas or to would-be predators. The giant panda’s extrordinary pelage coloration has several different functions.

Keywords: adaptive significance; Ailuropoda melanoleuca; black and white; coloration; pelage. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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