Red Panda

1. Red pandas are mammals belonging to a family of its own.

2. Red pandas are also called lesser panda, bear-cat, Himalayan raccoon, cat-bear, fox
bear and firefox.
3. Size of red pandas range from 20 to 26 inches long with their tails adding 10 to 20 more
inches to this. They weigh between 10 to 20 pounds.
4. They have round heads with short snouts. Their ears are large and pointed.
5. Red pandas have cinnamon colored fur. It keeps them warm when in cooler climates.
6. Red pandas have long fluffy tails with have red and white markings. The tail helps them
in balancing while climbing up the tree.
7. They have long and sharp claws which are useful especially in climbing high branches.
8. Red pandas share a name with the more commonly known giant panda but these two
animals are not related with each other.
9. However, similar with giant pandas, they have a wrist bone that acts like a thumb. They
use this to hold bamboo during feeding.
10. Red pandas are the first to be named as ¨panda¨which may have meant bamboo footed.
11. They are previous classified as the same family with racoons then later on as bears.
Recently however, they are considered to have their own family with no other living
relatives.
12. Red pandas are primarily bamboo eaters. They need to consume 20 to 30 percent of
their body weight to complete their diet.
13. They are found mostly in Asia. The live in Nepal, central China and northern Myanmar.
14. With disruption of areas where bamboo is grown, their habitats are also being destroyed.
15. Red pandas are usually active at dawn or dusk which makes them crepuscular.
16. They spend most of their time in trees since they can sleep and eat without going down
on the ground.
17. They lie on branches to sleep and bathe in the sun. When it gets too cold, they wrap
themselves with fluffy tails.
18. Red pandas groom themselves upon waking up. They use their front paws to wipe their
fur.
19. It takes up to 145 before a female red panda gives birth. The mothers build dens on
crevices and hollow trees, line it with branches and grasses. This is where they will give
birth.
20. Females may give birth to up to four young but mostly, they have twins.
21. Baby red pandas have sealed eyes and ears until about 3 weeks of age. They are called
¨cubs¨.
22. Cubs mature by 18 to 20 months. Red pandas can live up to 8 to 10 years.