In a surprising find, paleontologists have discovered an ancient ancestor of the giant panda that was not restricted to eating bamboo but rather ate a variety of plants and also meat. The discovery provides unique insights into the evolutionary history of these iconic bears
A Surprising Dietary Reveal
Fossils from the Hammerschmiede site in southern Germany have produced some spectacular finds, such as this jawbone, which belongs to the earliest great ape known to move upright. Now, scientists have made an even more startling revelation — the oldest common ancestor of giant pandas.
As for the ancient bear in question—Kretzoiarctos beatrix—it was not quite the panda we might expect. Rather, studies of its teeth suggest a very varied diet more in line with modern brown bears. Kretzoiarctos beatrix was not a diet specialist, munched on what plant matter it could find as well as its animal prey, whereas modern panda subsists munching mostly on the tough, fibrous stems of bamboo.
The new finding is a big deal, because we always thought that giant pandas have been faithful bamboo munchers throughout their long evolutionary history. This implies that the modern giant panda’s diet of specialized herbivory is derived and much more recent in origin, with a correspondingly shorter evolutionary trajectory to its current diet. As you can see, this evolutionary history also helps to explain exactly how pandas ended up being the peculiar bears we know and love today.
A Production Pace, Full of Predators
Fossils from the Hammerschmiede site are revealing a rich and varied ecosystem that existed some 11.5 million years ago. The ancient panda ancestor, along with a suite of predatory species that includes everything from weasel-like little guys all the way up to massive hyenas and saber-toothed tigers.
This variety of predators is rather unique, even when compared to current ecosystems. Otters perhaps this otter-like (albeit convergent evolution) animalistically or dwarfs alive in the same place? Again, illustrating just how rich in resources the Hammerschmiede appears to have been for supporting such a diversity and specialization of predators without too much competitive overlap.
These predators filled a range of niches: pure carnivores, piscivores, and some notorious generalists like the ancient panda. The range in feeding behavior and habitat specificity — from arboreal species to specialists in hunting aquatic prey — suggests a diverse and ecologically healthy community.
The wide range of the predators found in Hammerschmiede is a testament to the richness and complexity of this prehistoric world. Such a diversity at the top of the food chain is an amazing discovery and serves to reiterate how much paleontologists have yet to learn about the history of life on Earth.
Conclusion
The early omnivorous ancestor of the giant panda, Kretzoiarctos beatrix and the variety of previously known varieties from a range of preying millions at Hammerschmiede site fossils have made important progress to rewrite stories that date back to break dinosaurs — species this iconic for us the crab. The discovery flies in the face of common assumptions and could help to reframe the way pandas and the animals that used to eat them evolved over millions of years. All our followings will dive into this, not just deepening the timelessness of our learnings about past recovery dynamics but providing a timely reminder of how Dynamic Equilibrium operates in ecological systems everywhere and why biodiversity is crucial.
