What other food do Pandas eat?

While pandas are known for eating bamboo, they do occasionally eat other foods to supplement their diet. Here’s a list of what they might eat:

Wild Diet

1. Bamboo shoots and leaves (main diet, making up 99% of what they eat).
2. Fruits – Pandas sometimes eat wild fruits like apples or berries.
3. Roots – They may dig up and eat roots in the wild.
4. Insects – Small amounts of insects for protein.
5. Small animals – Rarely, they may consume rodents or birds.

In Captivity

In zoos, pandas are given:

1. Fruits – Apples, bananas, or pears.
2. Vegetables – Carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash.
3. Special Panda Cakes – Nutrient-packed biscuits or cakes designed for pandas.

Despite being classified as carnivores, pandas have adapted to a mostly herbivorous diet, relying heavily on bamboo for nutrition.