Here's why pandas became black and white

Giant panda's distinct black-and-white markings have two functions -- camouflage and communication, said the study published in the journal Behavioral Ecology. "Understanding why the giant panda has such striking colouration has been a long-standing problem in biology that has been difficult to tackle because virtually no other mammal has this appearance, making analogies difficult," said lead author Tim Caro, Professor at University of California, Davis in the US.