Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens
Quick answer
The red panda is a small, tree-dwelling mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, with rust-red fur, a ringed bushy tail, and a face like a raccoon. About the size of a house cat, it feeds mainly on bamboo and is the only living member of its own family. Red pandas typically live 8 to 14 years and are listed as Endangered.
Red Panda facts at a glance
| Scientific name | Ailurus fulgens |
|---|---|
| Diet | Omnivore (mostly bamboo) |
| Habitat | Temperate Himalayan forest |
| Lifespan | 8–14 years |
| Weight | 3–6 kg (7–13 lb) |
| Top speed | Up to 38 km/h (24 mph) |
| Conservation status | Endangered (IUCN) |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Carnivora |
| Family | Ailuridae |
| Genus | Ailurus |
Not really a panda
Despite the name and a shared love of bamboo, the red panda is not closely related to the giant panda. It is the sole living species in its own family, Ailuridae, and is more closely related to raccoons, weasels, and skunks. It even has a 'false thumb', an extended wrist bone, for gripping bamboo.
Diet and lifestyle
Red pandas spend most of their lives in the trees, where their reddish coats blend with reddish moss and lichen. They are mainly active at dawn and dusk and eat huge amounts of bamboo to make up for how little nutrition they extract from it, supplementing it with fruit, berries, eggs, and insects.
Surviving the cold
Living in cool mountain forests, the red panda has dense fur even on the soles of its feet and wraps its long, bushy tail around itself like a blanket against the cold. When threatened, it can stand on its hind legs to look bigger and lash out with sharp claws.
Conservation
Red pandas are Endangered, with fewer than an estimated 10,000 left in the wild. Deforestation, fragmentation of their bamboo forests, poaching for fur, and the illegal pet trade are the main threats. Protected reserves and community forestry programs are vital to their future.
Frequently asked questions about the Red Panda
Are red pandas related to giant pandas?
No, only distantly. Despite sharing a bamboo diet and a name, the red panda belongs to its own family and is more closely related to raccoons and weasels than to the giant panda.
How big is a red panda?
A red panda is roughly the size of a large house cat, weighing 3 to 6 kg (7 to 13 lb), though its long bushy tail makes it look bigger.
What do red pandas eat?
Red pandas eat mainly bamboo, but as omnivores they also feed on fruit, berries, acorns, eggs, and small insects to supplement their low-energy diet.
Where do red pandas live?
Red pandas live in the cool temperate forests of the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, across countries including Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, and China.
Why are red pandas endangered?
Red pandas are Endangered due to deforestation, habitat fragmentation, poaching for their fur, and the illegal pet trade, which have reduced their numbers to an estimated 10,000 or fewer in the wild.
