What is the scientific name of the giant panda?

The scientific name of the giant panda is Ailuropoda melanoleuca. The name combines Greek-derived roots meaning roughly “cat-foot” and “black-and-white,” reflecting the panda’s distinctive markings and unusual bear anatomy.

Although its diet is almost entirely bamboo, the giant panda is a member of the bear family, Ursidae, and belongs to the order Carnivora. Its powerful jaws, broad molars, and modified wrist bone—often called a “false thumb”—help it grasp and crush bamboo stalks.

The giant panda is native to mountain forests of central China, especially in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. Two living subspecies are generally recognized: the nominate subspecies and the Qinling panda. A common mix-up is confusing the giant panda with the red panda, which belongs to a separate family and has the scientific name Ailurus fulgens. The giant panda’s scientific name identifies it as the sole living species in the genus Ailuropoda.