Question: what did panda's evolve from?

Ceri-Wyn Thomas answered on 17 Jun 2010:

Well originally it was thought that the Panda was related to the Racoon family! However, molecular studies (where panda genes were studied) found that they were true bears- members of the Family Ursidae. Their closest living relatives are though to be the Spectacled Bear of South America (which is what Paddington Bear is mean to be!).

Bears are mammals obviously and the closest group to bears is apparently the Pinnipeds (seals!). So long ago- seals and their kin and bears shared the same common ancestor. Seals branched off and went one way (into the water) and bears branched off and went another. Animal evolution is all about branching off from other groups of organisms instead of changing linearly through time. (Imagine a growing bush with loads of branches- that’s what animal evolution would look like if you were to represent it in a drawing).

So pandas are bears and bears and seals shared the same common ancestor which would have probably looked more like a bear than a seal since aquatic mammals evolved from terrestrial ones. I hope you’re not too confused Tommyboy! Evolution is rarely simple!!!!!