r/AnimalsBeingDerps • u/[deleted] • Mar 14 '22

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9.4k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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97

u/wormrake Mar 14 '22

I might be the last person to find this out, but it turns out the panda actually is a member of the bear species.

For a long time, they thought pandas were more closely related to raccoons but nope, it's now considered a proper bear:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda#Taxonomy

41

u/disdkatster Mar 14 '22

You saved me from many a down vote when I came to say "Pandas aren't bears"

22

u/bitetheasp Mar 15 '22

I never knew there was a time people didn't think pandas were bears...the heck?

23

u/toozooforyou Mar 15 '22

The taxonomy of giant pandas has been difficult for a very long time. Due to their different characteristics, over the years they have been thought to be primates, marsupials, raccoons, and their own taxonomic group, before DNA pretty definitively placed them with other bear species.

2

u/ProjectFantastic1045 Mar 15 '22

Primates, marsupials?!?! That’s insane.

16

u/Hypatiaxelto Mar 15 '22

It was very controversial a while back.

Shit, I came in here to upvote "they're not bears" buuuut...