Scientists have long known that giant pandas mainly eat just one kind of plant: bamboo.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

The study showed that pandas have been in existence for up to three million years.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

Another one hundred twenty pandas live in zoos and research centers, mainly in China.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

But the study showed a high genetic similarity between pandas and dogs.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

Pandas are also threatened by a loss of land and illegal hunting.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

And we will report on a study of China's giant pandas.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

Pandas are a subspecies of Ursidae, the bear family.

VOA: special.2010.01.19

A lot of people come to the National Zoo, and the first animal they want to see is the giant pandas,".

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

"I think pandas are an amazing, amazing ambassador for China people love them, people come to see them.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

"In 1972,our first pandas arrived as a result of President Nixon and the relationship he built with China.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

Senior curator Brandie Smith says people now associate the National Zoo with giant pandas.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

Conservationists say there are only about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

But China owns all 14 giant pandas living in the United States.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

We've had fan clubs spring up around our pandas here because people are so fascinated with them, they want to learn about them, they want to save them,".

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

Now our pandas have been with us for ten years.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02