Digestive System
Surpringly, the digestive tract of pandas is relatively short and simple, completely lacking a caecum and only stretching 10 cm in colon-length. In fact, the small intestine of giant pandas is actually smaller than that of most other bear species.
The Giant Pandas' digestive system is not very efficient, so they must consume large quantities of bamboo every day in order to obtain the nutrition they need. Cubs are especially prone to digestive problems.
The puffy cheeks that make the Giant Pandas appear so adorable are actually powerful muscles that enable the Giant Pandas to chew through tough bamboo stalks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-TFsd4768U
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/midorcas/animalphysiology/websites/2008/DeLoache/index.htm
The Giant Pandas' digestive system is not very efficient, so they must consume large quantities of bamboo every day in order to obtain the nutrition they need. Cubs are especially prone to digestive problems.
The puffy cheeks that make the Giant Pandas appear so adorable are actually powerful muscles that enable the Giant Pandas to chew through tough bamboo stalks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-TFsd4768U
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/midorcas/animalphysiology/websites/2008/DeLoache/index.htm