Understanding wild animal habitat use is a core issue in animal ecology. The characteristics and coexistence mechanisms affecting the ability of multiple species to utilize the same habitat are fundamental to this understanding, and are also the basis for the conservation and habitat restoration of many rare and endangered species. To investigate the habitat utilization relationship between giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and sambar (Rusa unicolor) in Wolong Nature Reserve, we analyzed differences of space use and habitat selection between the two species. The results showed that:(1) the overlap index of the giant panda and sambar is 58.35%, with 66.58% overlap in primary forest and 36.64% overlap in secondary forest, indicating that the spatial overlap between the two species in primary forest is relatively large; (2) regarding the habitat selection of the panda and sambar, physical factors, including slope position, distance to water, and distance to footpath were significantly different, and biological factors, including tree density, shrub coverage, shrub density, bamboo coverage, young bamboo density, young bamboo basal diameter, young bamboo height, mature bamboo height, and dead bamboo density were also significantly different; and (3) both species appeared to prefer primary forest habitats, but the panda's dependence on primary forests was stronger. The analysis of the habitat utilization relationships of sympatric species contributes to an in-depth understanding of their space-use characteristics and coexistence mechanisms. Such analyses also provide a scientific basis for the management and conservation of rare species, as well as habitat restoration in protected areas