Pandas are both a fascination and a mystery. They are the living symbol of beauty, peace of mind and tranquility in our rapidly shifting world.
But how is it that pandas are always so laidback?
The answer is as simple as…bamboo. Pandas are perfectly designed for a life of wellness and tranquility. When they don’t make sweet love in the zoo or don’t dodge poachers in the wild, giant pandas get their share of happiness by endlessly chewing on bamboo. Their metabolic capacity to take everything easy has long intrigued scientists.
A recent study released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing reveals that pandas expend something similar to 38% of the same energy, compared to other creatures defined by the same body mass. They keep their slow metabolism by moving slowly, chewing slowly, playing slowly and living life at a slow and highly satisfactory pace. Pandas in the wild spend half of their time in motion. According to the study, that is a very low pace.
They achieve such low rates of energy due to their extremely small organs compared to their body size. The small organs make metabolism run on low levels of dynamism. The brain of a panda is only 82% of the expected size, the kidney is only 74,5% and livers 62,8% of the expected size for a 90 kg mammal.
They are extremely inactive and don’t have anything to complain about. These animals seem to be defined by inner peace and bamboo. All the rest is a never ending chew of life at the slowest pace.
Pandas move on average only 88,3 feet, meaning 26,9 meters per hour. The panda bears are not lazy at all, they are the greatest example of evolutionary adaptation. Their lower metabolism allows them to thrive on a very low energy food source.
The key psychological system involved in regulating metabolism is the thyroid hormone system. Pandas could have something highly unusual going on with their thyroid hormones. They have extremely low levels of the main thyroid hormones, T4 and T3.
Pandas are carnivores that became vegetarians and they couldn’t be more happy and at peace about it. Keeping their slow levels of energy is what makes them charming and fascinating altogether. Instead of killing and eating other animals to stuff their bellies and release energy by jumping around and further killing, they ingest a few tens of kilos and bamboo each day and leave us admire them in wonder.
Image Source: blog.eyewire.org
