36 million years ago, the Carnivore Family split into Bears and others, the Bears then split into smaller pandas and raccoons, and bears and large pandas.

The evolutionary differences between the pandas, and the grizzly bear, are that the Grizzlies are 100% carnivores but, pandas are omnivorous. And that is why the pandas do not have triangular molars.

The Giant Panda also branched off from its ancestors because it is smaller than the rest, this is why it is more closely related to the racoon than to the brown bear.

Opposable thumbs to hold and eat bamboo, which other bears do not have.

The panda also differs from its ancestors because it's small, but stocky build makes it fairly slow whereas most other bears can run quickly.