Panda

The Panda is a special animal unit introduced late in the Dynasty Warriors series.

Role in Games
Making its first appearance in Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, the panda is one of the few inhabitants in town that players can interact with. While usually rolling around, it may ask for a particular item and hand out a random material in exchange. Like most of the other townsfolk in the sequel, it can also request players to do special missions while offering various rewards.

In Dynasty Warriors 7, these beasts can be purchased as animal guardians for approximately 20,000 currency in Conquest Mode. By watching it play around for a certain amount of time, nearby players can have their health restored.

Origins
The panda is a native mammal in the western parts of China. Despite being a member of the bear family, its diet consists mostly of bamboo, grasses, or tubers. It is also distinguished by its black and white fur which has made it a target for poaching in the past. In China, people believed that these creatures were gifted with mystical powers which repelled evil spirits and calamity. Ancient emperors such as Shi Huangdi were said to have kept them as pets for that very reason. At present, pandas are an endangered species and many steps have been taken to prevent them from going extinct.