n the tree covered mountain slopes of southern China and the Himalayas, lives a peculiar animal with lots of Charm. It is the Red Panda.
The many names of the red panda
The name Panda Comes from the Nepalese word Ponya which means bamboo eater. Due to its size and appearance it has been called red cat bear (not bear-cat which is another animal). Other names are lesser panda and Fire Fox.
Family and relatives
Despite the name, the red panda it is not at ll related to the famous Greater Panda. Moreover, it is the only extant (still living) member of an animal family known as the Ailuridae.
The closest relatives to this family are the mustelids. In other words, Martens, weasels, badgers and wolverines are the true cousins of the Red Panda. The raccoon is a more distant relative.
Description
The size of the red panda is similar to that of a house cat. Males weigh as much as 4,5 - 6kilograms/ 10- 14 pounds the female 3,7-4,5 kilograms / 8-10 pounds. The animal stands about 30 cm / 12 inches at the shoulders. The body is about 50 cm/ 20 inches long.
The bushy tail which can be as long as the animal itself is red and has black rings. The back is covered with long red fur. The belly and the paws are black, and it has white markings in the face and along the rim the ears. It is a powerfully built animal with large paws. The face is broad and bear like.
Habitat and lifestyle
the red panda lives on an altitude of 2500 - 4800meters / 8000 - 14500 feet. It is a great tree climber and can descend a tree head first.
It feeds on leafs and bamboo. Now and then it will eat insects, bird eggs or small animals.
The long bushy tail is very useful. It helps the red panda keep the balance in the trees. During the the winter it will fold the tail around its body to stay warm while asleep.
The red panda lives a solitary life, and will only meet with other red pandas during the mating season. It is highly terrestrial too and will spend the entire life within a limited area.
An endangered species Unfortunately, the red panda has in the last 50 years become an endangered species. Forest areas where the red panda once lived are now used for farming and forestry. In some countries red panda fur is seen as a luxurious product many people are willing to pay lots of money for. This has made poaching a huge problem. Currently there are no more than 10 000 animals left in the wild. If nothing is done there will in the future be no red pandas left but for a few zoos.
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