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Date Published: 30/09/2024

New research reveals the panda originated in Spain

Remains of the animal, dating back 11 million years, have been found in Spain and Germany

The giant panda, an animal synonymous with China, has a surprising origin story. New research has revealed that the panda bear actually originated in Spain, with remains of the animal dating back 11 million years found in the country.

This discovery was made possible by the analysis of various fossils of the Agriarctos beatrix species found at the Els Hostalets de Pierola site in Barcelona and at Nombrevilla-2 in Daroca, Zaragoza.

But Spain was not the only place where the panda bear's ancestors lived. Recently, an international team of researchers discovered the fossilised remains of an extinct species of panda, Kretzoiarctos beatrix, at Hammerschmiede in Allgäu, Germany. This discovery suggests that the panda bear's ancestors also lived in Germany around 11 million years ago.

The panda bear's ancestors were not like the modern pandas we know today. They were slightly smaller and had a different diet. While modern pandas are herbivores, their ancestors were omnivores, eating both plants and meat. In fact, the extinct panda was more similar to modern brown bears, with a diet that contained both plant and animal matter.

But the Iberian Peninsula was also the last place in Europe where the giant panda's ancestors lived. In 2019, Spanish palaeontologists discovered fossils of an animal of the Indarctos genus, also related to the current giant panda, in a site in Teruel. This discovery suggests that the last panda bear in Europe lived in and around Spain roughly 6 million years ago.

"The cranial, mandibular and dental characteristics of these fossils allow us to classify it within the subfamily of ailuropodines, the group to which the current giant panda belongs," one of the researchers, Juan Abella, explained.

"These bears were predominant in carnivore communities during most of the Late Miocene in the Iberian Peninsula," according to Abella, who points out that at least three different bear species existed in the region that is now Spain at that time.

The young could climb trees quite easily to escape potential dangers, while the larger specimens could face any attack thanks to their large size and powerful claws, the palaeontologist added.

Their fascinating research shows that the site where the fossils were found, Las Casiones, was a lake area where these bears lived, accompanied by a diverse fauna of other large mammals, including hippos, rhinoceroses and proboscideans, relatives of current elephants.

Also of interest: From brink of extinction to thriving: 5 Spanish animals make a remarkable recovery

Image: Freepik

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