We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
WiseGeek
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Conservation

Why Do People Find Pandas Cute?

Updated: Jun 04, 2024

People might find pandas cute because the animal’s facial features remind the brain of human babies, research suggests. Pandas and human babies have large heads with prominent eyes, flat noses and round faces. Research also has found that when humans view juvenile images of babies or pandas, it triggers the middle orbital cortex, the part of the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure and positive emotion. Even research participants who claimed they did not find the images cute had brain scans that showed differently. This is thought to be for evolutionary survival reasons, so that adults instinctively feel the desire to take care of babies.

More about pandas:

  • Pandas spend about 12 hours per day eating. The average panda eats 28 pounds (12.5 kg) of bamboo each day.
  • As of 2013, there were an estimated 1,600 pandas left in the wild and about 200 living in zoos.
  • Newborn pandas are 1/900th the size of their mothers. Excluding marsupials, baby pandas are the smallest newborn mammals in relation to their mothers’ sizes.
Allison Boelcke
By Allison Boelcke
Allison Boelcke, a digital marketing manager and freelance writer, helps businesses create compelling content to connect with their target markets and drive results. With a degree in English, she combines her writing skills with marketing expertise to craft engaging content that gets noticed and leads to website traffic and conversions. Her ability to understand and connect with target audiences makes her a valuable asset to any content creation team.

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
By RoyalSpyder — On Feb 19, 2014

I love pandas, and I never noticed it until reading this article, but it's right. People always associate pandas with babies, whom people also love. Though it's not stated, I feel one reason why people love babies so much is because of their innocence. There's something about their curious innocent expressions, and their playfulness that's hard to resist. My friend is in charge of a daycare. Though he was very reluctant at first, he has grown to love the kids, and they're almost like a family to him.

By Chmander — On Feb 19, 2014
@Viranty - Considering how much pandas eat, I guess we can assume that they spend the other half of the day sleeping. Humans and animals alike, after eating a big meal, we usually just want to lie down and rest. We've all had one of those moments. However, as for your second question, we have to remember that the digestive system of animals is much different than ours.

Also, what we eat can make animals sick, and what they eat can make us sick, such as raw meat. On another note, some animals have digestive tracts that come in different shapes. Did you know that cows have four stomachs?

By Viranty — On Feb 18, 2014

This is an interesting article. I had no idea that pandas spend so much of the day eating. If that's the case, then what else do they do during their spare time? Also, how are they able to digest all of that food?

Allison Boelcke
Allison Boelcke
Allison Boelcke, a digital marketing manager and freelance writer, helps businesses create compelling content to connect with their target markets and drive results. With a degree in English, she combines her writing skills with marketing expertise to craft engaging content that gets noticed and leads to website traffic and conversions. Her ability to understand and connect with target audiences makes her a valuable asset to any content creation team.
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/why-do-people-find-pandas-cute.htm
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.