Pandas, specifically giant pandas, live mainly in temperate forests high in the mountains of southwest China. Their habitat is primarily in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. These forests are characterized by dense bamboo understories, which constitute almost their entire diet. The pandas inhabit elevations generally between about 1,200 to 3,400 meters (approximately 4,000 to 11,000 feet) above sea level in mountainous regions such as the Minshan, Qinling, Qionglai, Liangshan, Xiaoxiangling, and Daxiangling mountain ranges
. Historically, giant pandas were more widespread across southern and eastern China and neighboring countries like Myanmar and northern Vietnam, but human development and habitat loss have now confined them to roughly 20 isolated bamboo forest patches in these mountainous areas
. Their habitat includes broadleaf and coniferous forests, often shrouded in mist and heavy clouds, providing a cool, moist environment ideal for bamboo growth, which is essential for their survival
. In summary, giant pandas live in isolated mountain temperate forests in southwest China, mainly in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces, where bamboo forests form the core of their habitat
