Giant Panda Eating Bamboo Button

This image shows a giant panda grazing on bamboo. Giant pandas usually eat while sitting upright, in a pose that resembles how humans sit on the floor. This posture leaves the front paws free to grasp bamboo stems with the help of a "pseudo thumb," formed by an elongated and enlarged wrist bone covered with a fleshy pad of skin. The panda also uses its strong teeth to crush the tough, fibrous bamboo into bits. | "Smithsonian" and the Smithsonian logo are registered trademarks owned by Smithsonia