Over 100,000-year-old giant panda fossil found in China

Because giant pandas use thumbs to hold and manipulate bamboo while eating, the limbs of the species are different from those of other bears, with an extra 'thumb.' The 'thumb' is, in fact, an abnormally enlarged wrist bone, and it helps the species grasp bamboo shoots.

The discovery reflects that giant pandas, at that time, already had the physiological conditions of using forepaws flexibly to grab bamboo, like modern pandas. The finding helps deepen understanding of the species' evolution of its feeding characteristics, said Wang.

Shuanghe Cave was suitable habitat for giant pandas, at the time, due to its complex internal structure and many holes connected in series. So far, nearly 30 giant panda fossils have been discovered in the cave.

The cave is rich in mammal fossil resources. Fossils of jackals, rhinoceroses, black bears, stegodons, large Indian civets, and other animals have been found in previous excavations.