ANIMAL: Red Panda Ailurus fulgens Type of Animal: Panda Habitat: Temperate montane bamboo forest, bamboo thickets Location(s): Forested areas of Himalayas Appearance: Black underbelly w/ red fur and face, have raccoon-like ears & look like red raccoon. About the size of house cat. Very bushy, striped tail. Food/Diet: Mainly bamboo. Also fruit, berries, leaves, blossoms, fungi, seeds, acorns, lichens, grass, eggs, birds, small rodents, insects, & fish. Status in Wild: Endangered Conservation: Breeding in zoos & wildlife parks. Conservation programs in China. Lifestyle: Solitary or male-female pairs Additional Info: Called: Male-Boar Female-Sow Young-Cub Group-Pair Weight: Male-10-14 lbs Female-6-10 lbs Young-1-2 lbs Gestation: 2.5 months Height: 1.6-2 ft Body Length: 1.6-2 ft Life Span: 13-14 years Tail Length: 0.9-1.6 ft Main predators of adults are snow leopards. Martens prey on cubs. Wolong Nature Reserve in China along w/ Chengdu Breeding Centre have helped save this species, along with their more known distant relative -the Giant Panda. Endangered due to hunting for fur, logging, deforestation, habitat loss, pet trade, & disease. Their claws are partially retractable. They need to consume large amounts of bamboo because they can’t digest cellulose. Territory marked by urine & claw-marking on trees. Sexually mature at 1 year old. Lose up to 15% of body weight in winter. Fun Fact(s): First described by French zoologist Frederic Cuvier in 1825. Due to arboreal nature, one of the most common zoo animal escapees. Known for gentle & somewhat shy dispositions. Also known as “Firefox” or “Lesser Panda.” Interestingly, the original panda discovered by Western science was this species, not its distant relative, the Giant Panda. In fact, Giant Pandas were discovered 48 years later. Red Pandas are closer relatives w/ raccoons than w/ Giant Pandas, which are a bear species.
