Giant Panda Puzzleboard

LATERAL THOUGHTS IN SEARCH OF EVER MORE INTERESTING STORIES FROM BIOLOGY. Robin and the Honey Badger’s mission is to re-charge biology with originality for you, the non-specialist reader. Here we put together the pieces in the patchwork appeal of the giant panda, comparing related species to deduce the possible survival value of a pied pattern for the world’s most recognisable bamboo-eater. Other bears also use white warning signs and the other panda also flags its ears, but only the giant panda exaggerates its eyes in a way that may seem anthropomorphic but stands to discourage attack by natural predators – particularly the Chinese tiger.

EXPLORE THE BIO-EDGE FURTHER WITH ROBIN AND THE HONEY BADGER. Each morning Robin and the Honey Badger wake up to a world of Nature with new curiosity. Which aspects of the natural world have been underlooked? Which adaptations or non-adaptations of organisms have been downplayed because of some theoretical bias? Which observations have yet to be integrated because of interdisciplinary timidity? How laterally can we think as we cruise the bewildering diversity of life forms on Earth? Join us in our mission of Exploring the Bio-edge in a series of e-essays that fearlessly – but accurately – cover all corners of biology.