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American black bear vs Giant panda

American black bear vs giant panda
American black bear is larger on weight
American black bear is somewhat greater than giant panda on weight — about 1.3×.

An American black bear and a giant panda can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
American black bear Giant panda
Weight 40–280 kg 70–125 kg
Height 0.7–1 m 0.6–0.9 m
Length 1.2–2 m 1.2–1.9 m
Typical lifespan 18–30 yr 15–30 yr

What the numbers say

  • American black bear is somewhat greater than giant panda on weight — about 1.3×.
  • American black bear is somewhat greater than giant panda on height — about 1.2×.
  • American black bear and giant panda are near enough identical on length.
  • American black bear and giant panda are near enough identical on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

American black bear 40–280 kg
Giant panda 70–125 kg

American black bear

North America's most common bear, and the one most people actually encounter.

Giant panda

A bear that has become a bamboo specialist, eating 12-38 kg of it a day.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, American black bear or giant panda?
American black bear is somewhat greater than giant panda on weight — about 1.3×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do American black bears and giant pandas compare on height?
American black bear: 0.7–1 m. Giant panda: 0.6–0.9 m. American black bear is somewhat greater than giant panda on height — about 1.2×.
How do American black bears and giant pandas compare on length?
American black bear: 1.2–2 m. Giant panda: 1.2–1.9 m. American black bear and giant panda are near enough identical on length.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked