Red panda, lesser panda
Ailurus fulgens
Red pandas look more like raccoons than their closest relative - the giant panda. They are secretive and gentle creatures, spending most of the day sleeping curled up with their tail wrapped around their head.
Subspecies
Two subspecies.
Life span
12-14 years.
Statistics
Body length: 50-63cm, Weight: 4-6kg.
Physical description
Red pandas have a bear-like body with thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black and there are white markings on the side of the head and above the small eyes. They have thick bushy tails with light-brown rings, pointed ears and a pointed snout.
Distribution
Red pandas live in southern Asia: Bhutan, China, India, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal.
Habitat
They inhabit forested mountain slopes.
Diet
Red pandas mainly feed on bamboo, but also eat acorns, roots, berries, lichens and occasionally eggs and young birds.
Behaviour
Red pandas lead solitary lives, except for mothers with cubs. They are slow-moving on the ground but are remarkably agile in the trees.
Reproduction
Females give birth to 1-4 young, after a gestation period of 112-158 days.
Conservation status
The IUCN classify red pandas as Endangered, and they are on CITES: Appendix I. They are protected in Nepal and China. Habitat loss is thought to be the major reason for their decline in the wild.
Notes
Red pandas are considered members of their own family, Ailuridae, based on new molecular systematics research. Similar to bears, they have a "false thumb" which is really an extension of the wrist bone. However, unlike bears, their claws are only partly retractable.
