Why are pandas called giant pandas?

Answer 1

Because it is a cool name and because it could mean something in a different language.

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The name " panda " originates with a Himalayan language, possibly Nepalese . And as used in the West it was originally applied to the red panda , to which the giant panda was thought to be related. Until its relation to the red panda was discovered in 1901 , the giant panda was known as Mottled Bear or Partli-coloured Bear . The Smithsonian National Zoological Park notes: "One of the few known candidates for the root of the word panda is pónya , possibly derived from a Nepali word referring to the ball of the foot--perhaps a keen observation of how this bear eats bamboo with an adapted wrist bone that functions as an opposable thumb and sixth digit. Other writers believe that "panda" came from wah , the Nepali name for the red panda ( Ailurus fulgens ), and originating from the childlike sound that this species sometimes makes. The ultimate answer, however, may remain as elusive as a wild giant panda in a forest of bamboo". Source: http://www.iberianature.com/trivia/etymology_mammals.htm

Answer 2

The name "panda" originates with a Himalayan language, possibly Nepali. As used in the West the name was originally applied to the red panda. Until its relation to the red panda was discovered in 1901, the giant panda was known as Mottled Bear(Ailuropus melanoleucus) or Particolored Bear. The Chinese language name for the giant panda, 大熊貓, literally translates to "large bear cat," or just "bear cat" (熊貓). There are two explanations for the origin of this name. Physiologically, the eyes of most other bear species have round pupils, but the giant pandas have pupils that are vertical slits like cats' eyes. These unusual eyes, combined with its ability to effortlessly scale trees, maybe what inspired the Chinese to call the panda the "bear cat." However, this explanation seem unlikely as locals from different provinces use names such as "spotted bear" (花熊) and "bamboo bear" (竹熊) for giant panda, which shows that the farmers are more likely to use "bear" as the noun when they see an obviously bear-sized animal. On the other hand, some researchers believe that the name "bear cat," originally belonged to the red panda, which also live on bamboo in China, and they are actually cat-size. When Himalayan first saw giant panda, they named it "large bear cat," due to the similaries in behaviors and habitat. This will also explain why Chinese zoological texts and dictionaries published in the early 20th centuries, before the series of civil wars, always used the word "large" in the name and never just "bear cat."

Answer 3

It is important to understand that the taxonomy (classification and grouping) of animals can change over time. When first described by European scientists, giant pandas were classified as bears or ursid (a family of carnivores ) in the mammal class of vertebrate animals. Then for a few decades, scientists thought that they weren't bears and placed them, still within the carnivore order but in a family closer to raccoons. In the last fifteen years, after further study and aided by the new science of gene mapping, pandas have been returned to the bear family.

Answer 4

The adult males are generally 5 feet long and weigh about 330 pounds. That's giant!
The "giant" part is because it grows so quickly. The "panda" part is because, well, its a panda basically.
because they are big and they are pandas
Because they are one of the biggest kinds of pandas.
Beacuse these pandas are larger than the red pandas. So to distinguish them from red pandas scientists used the word giant in front of panda. Now it became in common use.

And obviously because it grows larger than others so it is Giant.

DeViLiCiOuS =D

Answer 5

Whether pandas are bears or raccoons, or even an entire new species has been a debated question for years, but most scientists think they are bears.

Answer 6

The origin of the word panda is unknown. The Nepali word ponya means "eater of bamboo." Chinese names for panda vary.

Answer 7

They are called giant pandas to reduce confusion between giant pandas and red pandas. they are considerably large compared to red pandas therefore making them giant

Answer 8

The word panda was borrowed into English from French, but no conclusive explanation of the origin of the French word panda has been found.

Answer 9

they are bears