Species Spotlight: Red panda
Jul 22nd, 2010 by wwftravel
© Susan A. Mainka / WWF-Canon
Background: The bear-bodied, thick-furred red panda has little resemblance to its distant cousin, the giant panda, except for the false thumb they both possess, which is actually an extension of the wrist bone. The skillful, acrobatic animal stays predominantly in trees, using its tail for balance, and descends to the ground headfirst. The loss of nesting trees and bamboo is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range.
Habitat: Temperate forests at altitudes of 7,000 – 12,000 feet in parts of Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, China and the Indian states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Arunchal Pradesh.
Diet: Primarily bamboo leaves, also fruits, berries, blossoms, moist grasses and insects.
Threats: Habitat loss as a result of agricultural development, commercial logging and human encroachment; poaching for its pelt to make hats or traditional clothing; and inbreeding and loss of genetic variation due to fragmentation of habitats by deforestation.
Interesting fact: Red pandas cover themselves with their long, bushy tails in the winter, but become lethargic when temperatures reach just 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
See red pandas on WWF’s Wild & Ancient China tour.
Great pic thanks for the great travel blog!
is this animal endangered?
those are very good pictures and thanx for teachin me about the red panda
Hi! Red pandas are cool! I like the picture.