Red Panda - It's Nature (2024)

March 1, 2008

HomeEndangered SpeciesCritically Endangered SpeciesRed Panda

ByEzoicCritically Endangered Species, Ground Mammals, Mammals26 Comments

The Red Panda is often mistaken for a cat or even a fox because it is quite small being that it is just a little bit larger than your average house cat. The species is classified as endangered with an estimated population of just 2,500 left. The reason for the declining population has to do mostly with habitat fragmentation. In some areas the Red Panda is known as the Lesser Panda or the Shining Cat. The species is the mascot of the Darjeeling international festivals and is the state animal of Sikkim, an Indian state.

Red Panda

Habitat

The Red Panda is native to southeastern Asia and can be found along the foothills of the Himalayas from western Nepal, Southern Tibet, Bhutan, and Northeast India. The species can also be found in the highlands of Burma, the Yunnan province of China, and the Sichuan province of China as well. The reason that the species is found in these areas is because they lime moderate temperatures with little annual fluctuation.

The Red Panda prefers forested mountains at elevations of 1,800 to 4,800 meters where deciduous and coniferous trees can be found in addition to rhododendron and bamboo. Where you find the Red Panda you will usually find the Giant Panda, as well as these two species are able to coexist. The Red Panda will nest in rock dens and even in hollow trees.

Red Panda

Diet

The Red Panda is known to be most active at dawn and dusk, so during the day you will not typically see them feeding, instead they will be sprawled out over a high branch of a tree resting. The favorite food of the Red Panda is bamboo and that is due in large part to the fact that they cannot digest cellulose so they have to eat a lot of bamboo to survive. The species will also eat berries, a variety of fruit, mushrooms, acorns, grass, lichens, small birds, eggs, rodents, and insects. The animals have a very low calorie diet, which is why they are not all that active. In captivity the Red Panda is also known to eat red meat, which is not seen in the wild.

Red Panda

Reproduction

Being that the Red Panda is a solitary animal you will not usually find them together unless it is time to mate, which generally takes place any time from the end of December to the middle of February. The species has a gestation period of 112 to 158 days and the female will then give birth to anywhere from one to four live cubs. The cubs are blind at birth and will not start to open their eyes for about 18 days and they will be fully open by the time they are 40 days old. The mother will care for the cubs in the nest for 12 weeks, but they will not be weaned until they are six to eight months old and will not leave their mother until the birth of the new litter of cubs the next summer. The average life span of the Red Panda is eight to ten years but they are known to live as long as 15 years.

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26 Comments

Chloe E McCullough
I think red pandas are so cute! I am doing a report on them! I will not cut down trees in china. Do you have more info on red pandas? If you do, you can email me at aleesh@optonline.net. I look foward to your response! I might be a little young to be submiting this, but I have such a instrest in red pandas! I am only 9, so I don’t have an email address. Bye!
March 17, 2009Reply
- ankita
  i think its really very sweet of you to be even writing this. ur age doesn’t matter its ur mind and wat goes into it that does so i think its great that u r writing a report on the extinction of red pandas at such a tender age. i am 18 n i hav to make a project on them that’s y i am searchng 4 dem….but 4 u hats off :)
  June 9, 2010Reply
brittany
these red pandas are so cute!! i wish i could have one
April 1, 2009Reply
Rishabh Sharma
these pandas are really cuuuuute. i m really impressed with this site. just 1 more thing. can u tell me something about werewolves????? thank u 4 all this matter that is provided
May 10, 2009Reply
hoooohooooo
i love red pandas but we have to make them safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 24, 2009Reply
deepak
the info is nice but doesn’t answer the question specified
June 28, 2009Reply
chinni
there are very cute like a teddy bear
August 16, 2009Reply
vimal
i like redpandas secure their life pls
August 30, 2009Reply
billie smith
these poor animals better be on a reserve of some kind they are so cute and i can see why they could easily be mistaken for house pets such as cats but they should not be in captivity they should be on a reserve
September 8, 2009Reply
Ella
I am doing work about habitats and i am doing the red panda it is really good info thank you the person who made all the info up
Top marks for me !! yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
bye x
September 10, 2009Reply
raindrop
that is so sad! only 2,500 left? looking at the pics reminds me of the song listen to the rain by evanescence! sad song and sad pics! i agree with cookie, we have to do something! ;-;
November 18, 2009Reply
piggy
what does a red panda do for nature i need this by today the 24!
February 24, 2010Reply
clara
love red pandas they are cute.i am nine send me more informaion
April 29, 2010Reply
sara
the cutest animal in the world i love red pandas
May 1, 2010Reply
- marcus
  hello fellow panda enthusiast i love red pandas to they r so cute love u XXXXXXXXXXXXX bye sexy kiss kiss
  October 5, 2010Reply
  - i
    i agree , they are the besst, love them kallan!
    October 18, 2010
marcus
there sooooooooooooo cute i love them OOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGG, u lot r so sad!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
October 5, 2010Reply
MITURR BINSD URTTY
OMG I LOVE RED PANDAS THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST WANNA SIT ON THE SOFA AND CUDDLE UP TO THE CUTIES, CAN I ADOPT ONE, PLEASE ILL GIVE YOU MY DIGIMON AND POKEMON CARDS. PLEASE I JUST WANNA HAVE ONE FOREVER, love youguyss xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx kissy kissy
October 18, 2010Reply
bob
hey whats up with pandas
October 19, 2010Reply
upasana
Red pandas are very cute, but unfortunately they are becoming extinct. i love them veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy much
November 6, 2010Reply
marcus potter
PANDASSSSSSSSS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
November 9, 2010Reply
pandaprinces
aye thees red pandas are sick. . . supah cuties i jus wanna let yall kno that. . . :D
February 3, 2011Reply
Humphressgab
I love Pandas
February 16, 2011Reply
Humphressgab
Pandas’ are my favorite!
February 16, 2011Reply
Jeannie_corwell2000
I Love red panda i am doing this as a proste in the school hahah(:
March 29, 2011Reply
holly
They are cute!
November 29, 2012Reply

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FAQs

What are red pandas natural behaviors? ›

Red pandas are crepuscular, arboreal and solitary. They are most active during the twilight hours of early morning and evening (crepuscular), spending most of the day resting in trees (arboreal), conserving their energy. Red pandas are normally solitary creatures but come together in pairs in the breeding season.

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What is the personality of a red panda? ›

Red Pandas are both striking in appearance and endearing in nature. Our copper-coloured friends with feline-esque features are beautiful creatures that have a shy but very sweet temperament and relish in their solo life. They roam freely from dusk until dawn, keeping out of trouble and minding their own business.

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Are red pandas people friendly? ›

They like to be by themselves, and this includes avoiding humans too! Due to this lifestyle they generally don't like being touched, so despite looking like you should be able to pick them up and give them a cuddle, this is not the case!

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Are red pandas clever? ›

In terms of cognitive abilities, red pandas have been observed to exhibit problem-solving skills, memory, and social learning. They have also been found to have a keen sense of smell and vision, which they use to navigate their environment and locate food.

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What is a red pandas natural enemy? ›

The primary predator of the red panda is thought to be the snow leopard and occasionally martens. Cubs may be hunted by birds of prey and other small carnivores.

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How do red pandas flirt? ›

Adult red pandas rarely interact with each other outside of the mating season. During the mating season, scent-markings increase, and the female invites the male to mount her on the ground. Males leave their scent by urinating or rubbing their anogenital area on trees.

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What are some sad facts about red pandas? ›

Classified as endangered, there are fewer than 10,000 in the wild with the largest threats listed as poaching and loss of habitat. It's estimated that there's been a 40% decrease in numbers over the last 50 years alone.

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What are 3 interesting facts about red pandas? ›

Ten Facts about the Red Panda That Makes It Special

They have cute and easily recognizable appearance. ...
They are not closely related to the giant panda. ...
They have their own independent genetic family. ...
They like eating bamboo and sweet food. ...
They spend most of time eating and sleeping. ...
They are good at climbing trees.

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What do red pandas struggle with? ›

Conservation Efforts

Their primary threats are habitat loss and degradation, human interference and poaching. Researchers believe that the total population of red pandas has declined by 40 percent over the past two decades. It is probable that this decline will continue in the coming years.

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What eats red pandas? ›

The red pandas predators are snow leopards and martens. Humans also kill red pandas for their fur. The red pandas prey are small birds, eggs, acorns, fruit, and small animals.

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What do red pandas do for fun? ›

These mammals spend most of their time in trees and are famous for their incredible acrobatic skills. A red panda totters along the branch of an evergreen tree, placing one paw in front of the other like a gymnast on a balance beam.

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Why are red pandas special? ›

Unique. The red panda is the original panda, discovered some 50 years before the giant panda! They are a carnivore that has adapted to eating almost exclusively bamboo. Red pandas are the only species remaining in their taxonomic family — a living relic of the past.

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What are some behavioral adaptations of a red panda? ›

This adaptation allows red pandas to spend nearly as little energy as sloths, which is very beneficial considering the low nutrition content of their diet. They also exhibit temperature-regulating behaviors, such as curling into a tight ball to conserve body heat and energy expenditure in the cold.

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What stereotypical behaviours do red pandas have? ›

Heat stress can increase stereotyping [30] and resting behaviours seen in captive red panda. Stereotypies may include pacing, tongue flicking, and position circling [31]. Pasang at CWS was seen tongue flicking in the hottest periods.

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How do red pandas behave with humans? ›

They are shy, solitary creatures that tend to avoid confrontation. However, like wild animals, they may display aggression when feeling threatened, cornered, or provoked. While their sharp claws and teeth could cause injury, red pandas attacking humans are rare.

Are red pandas naturally aggressive? ›

Red pandas are not dangerous animals, but they do have aggressive tendencies. When a red panda stands on its hind legs and raises its arms, it displays a defensive stance and may attack the threat with its claws and teeth.

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Red Panda - It's Nature (2024)

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FAQs

What are red pandas natural behaviors? ›

What do red pandas struggle with? ›