These 10 utterly gorgeous photos of giant pandas are guaranteed to make you smile

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is one of the world’s most iconic and beloved animals.

Native to China’s misty mountain forests, this striking black-and-white bear is a specialised bamboo eater, consuming up to 38kgs of the plant every day. Despite its cuddly appearance, China's national animal is a skilled climber and surprisingly agile.

There are fewer than 2,000 giant pandas in the wild, and while conservation efforts are seeing their numbers slowly increase, the charismatic bear species remains one of the rarest and most endangered animals on Earth.

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10 beautiful images of giant pandas

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