Qizai, the unique brown-and-white panda, has captured both scientific interest and public fascination for years. Originally found abandoned in the wild and now residing at the Louguantai Wild Animal Breeding and Protection Center in Xi’An, Qizai is part of a very rare lineage. Only seven brown-and-white pandas have ever been documented, all from the Qinling mountain range in Shaanxi province.
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has provided answers to why Qizai’s coat is so distinctive. Researchers discovered that the distinctive brown coloration is linked to a genetic mutation in the Bace2 gene, which plays a role in pigmentation. Specifically, brown pandas like Qizai lack a short DNA sequence within this gene. This mutation affects the enzyme responsible for processing a precursor protein that is crucial for black fur development in other pandas.
The study not only sheds light on Qizai’s unique fur but also helps to understand the genetics behind this rare color variation in pandas. By comparing the genetic material of Qizai with other pandas, researchers found that the same mutation is present in other brown pandas from the region, indicating that it could be a common genetic feature among them. This discovery not only adds to our understanding of panda genetics but also offers insights into the evolutionary pressures that may have led to such a distinct trait. For more detailed information, you can read the full study on IFLScience