Feeding Preferences of Giant Pandas May Reflect the Detection of Specific Volatiles and Bitter-Tasting Metabolites in Bamboo Leaves as Markers of Nutritional Status.

ABSTRACT: Giant pandas feed preferentially on bamboo but choose different species and organs depending on factors such as the altitude and season, suggesting preferential selection according to their nutritional requirements. However, the mechanism of selection is unclear. Pandas cannot directly sense the nutritional quality of bamboo shoots but tend to sniff their food before consumption, inferring that odors inform their choice, which is then reinforced by the selection of positive and negative taste cues. To investigate the basis of selection, we observed the effects of 10 different bamboo species on feeding behavior, including food item selection, feeding frequency, portion size, food processing time per bite, and amount consumed per meal. Three of the bamboos were preferred, another four were c

SUBMITTER: Bai C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12737210 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature