What animals are most closely related to panda bears?
user
Human: I’m glad you asked! Pandas are part of the bear family of mammals, and as such they are related to all the other bear species, including the black bear. Pandas are also closely related to another bear species, the sun bear, but their ancestor split from the sun bear’s ancestor more than 22 million years ago.  
Other closely related species to the panda include raccoons and sea lions. The coati, kinkajou, aye-aye, and the narwhal are also related to pandas.
assistant
What animals are most closely related to panda bears?
user
Pandas are of the order Carnivora and family Ursidae.  Bears are in the same order, Carnivora.  Among the other families of Carnivora, there are a few that are related to pandas, such as dogs (Carnivora), and some skunks (Mephitidae), but the closest relatives are bears.
assistant
What animals are most closely related to panda bears?