Fossilized teeth of an ancient panda were discovered on the territory of Bulgaria.

Giant pandas didn’t always live only in China, and they didn’t always like bamboo.

This is evidenced by a study published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

According to reports, scientists discovered a pair of petrified panda teeth in northwestern Bulgaria. This suggests that these cute bears once roamed Europe, where they ate much softer plants than their modern relatives.According to scientists, Bulgarian pandas do not belong to the direct ancestor of today’s giant pandas, but to their close relative who lived about 6 million years ago on the eastern edge of Europe.

Experts say this species was about the same size or slightly smaller than modern pandas. Judging by the material in which the fossil was found, the ancient panda probably lived in a swampy forest and fed on vegetation.