Fun Facts!

The Chinese name for the red panda is hunho or firefox, because of their color and similar size to a fox. The web browser “Firefox” is named after them.

Like the Giant Panda, the Red Panda cannot digest cellulose so it must consume a large volume of bamboo to survive.

Red Pandas claws are sharp and can be pulled back like a cat.

Red Panda

Ailurus fulgens

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Red pandas resemble raccoons. They are about 42 inches long from their nose to their long, bushy tail which has light-brown rings. They weigh between 7-14 pounds. Their red-and-white markings on the side of the head and above the small eyes blend in with the red mosses and white lichens that grow on the trees in which they live. Their soft, dense fur covers their entire body—even the soles of their feet. They are equipped with soft, dense fur to survive the cold winter months of its high-altitude habitat. Red pandas claws are sharp and can be pulled back like a cat.

HABITAT

Red pandas live in the cool temperate bamboo forests in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces in China, in the Himalayas, and in Myanmar. They share part of their range with giant pandas. The two species occur in bamboo forests, which provide both with their main source of food. However, they don’t compete for food. Giant pandas feed on stems and older leaves of the bamboo, while red pandas concentrate on the fresher, young shoots.

DIET IN THE WILD

Red pandas are classed as a carnivore, but its diet is almost entirely vegetarian. It primarily eats bamboo leaves as well as berries, roots, acorns, blossoms, bird eggs, and various plants' small leaves. Their broad teeth and strong jaws allow them to chew bamboo's tough leaves and stalks. A red panda eats approximately 200,000 bamboo leaves daily. They also have a small, bony projection on their wrists that helps them grip bamboo stalks, just like a giant pandas

BEHAVIOR

Red Pandas don’t like high temperatures and will sleep during the middle of summer days. They live alone except when they have a young cub. They use their long, bushy tails to balance when they're in trees. They also cover themselves with their tails in winter to keep them warm. They search for food at night, running along the ground or through the trees with speed and agility. When they find their dinner, they use their front paws to place the food into their mouths. Red pandas drink by plunging their paw into the water and licking their paws.

STATUS IN THE WILD / CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Red Pandas are classified as endangered. No reliable numbers exist for the total population, but they are very threatened due to their natural habitats being destroyed. In southwest China, the red panda is hunted for its fur and especially for its highly-valued bushy tail that is made into hats. The red panda and its habitat are endangered due to conversion of forest to farms and pastures through overgrazing. The Red Panda Project creates innovative alternatives that increase the probability of survival of the red panda.

In 2008 there were 123 red pandas (or 37 pairs) in zoos that are capable of having offspring. In 2007 there were only 5 red pandas born in zoos. At that time, the species management plan sent out an urgent message to all possible breeding pairs to concentrate on repopulating the species. In 2008, out of all the red pandas that were born (believed to be over 20) only 12 red pandas survived.

LIFE SPAN

The red panda can live 8-10 years in the wild.