Reference genome sequence of the giant panda. Ailuropoda melanoleuca

The reference sequence (RefSeq) genome assembly is provided by NCBI using assembly instructions provided by the Beijing Genome Institute, Shenzhen. The assembled genome is distributed internationally by FTP and the same assembly can be viewed in browsers provided by NCBI, Ensembl, and the University of Santa Cruz (UCSC). The giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is a critically endangered mammal confined to portions of six isolated mountain ranges in south-central China. There are fewer than 3,000 giant pandas currently alive in the wild and fewer than two hundred in captivity. The giant panda is unusual for feeding almost exclusively on bamboo plants though being evolutionarily related to meat-eating carnivores such as bears and dogs.