Bamboo bear vs Pacific yam

Ailuropoda melanoleuca compared with Dioscorea nummularia

Key Differences

Bamboo bear is Vulnerable while Pacific yam is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bamboo bear	Pacific yam
Kingdom	Animalia (حيوانات)	Plantae (نباتات)
Phylum	Chordata (حبليات)	Magnoliophyta (كاسيات البذور)
Class	Mammalia (ثدييات)	Liliopsida (زنبقانية)
Order	Carnivora (لواحم)	Dioscoreales (ديسقوريات)
Family	Ursidae (Bears)	Dioscoreaceae
Genus	Ailuropoda (Giant Pandas)	Dioscorea
Species	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	Dioscorea nummularia

Conservation Status

Bamboo bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~1.9K

Trend: Increasing ↑

Pacific yam

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bamboo bear	Pacific yam
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	20 years	—
Average Length	1.5 m	—
Average Weight	100.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bamboo bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in China. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Pacific yam

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Laos. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Bamboo bear

Iconic black-and-white bear of the mountain bamboo forests of central China, giant pandas can weigh up to 125 kg and spend up to 14 hours daily consuming bamboo, which comprises 99% of their diet despite belonging to the order Carnivora. Solitary and elusive, they have a pseudo-thumb for gripping bamboo stems. Downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2016 following successful conservation and breeding programs.