Red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a solitary and territorial mammalian animal, currently found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar and Nepal. It is a species that spends much of its time in trees and feeds mainly on bamboo. It has a round head, short snout, triangular ears and a long tail. The upper part of the body is reddish brown, while the ventral part is black. The paws are also black and the soles of the feet are white.
The red panda's face has white fur and marks that look like tears under its eyes. These animals are most active during dawn, dusk and night. They are shy and solitary, meeting other individuals, generally during the breeding season. The species is on a declining population trend and is currently classified as in danger of extinction.
Read too: Panda bear — where it lives, what it eats and many other interesting facts about the giant panda
Summary about red panda
The red panda is a mammal with a round head, short snout and triangular ears.
It has reddish brown hair on the upper part of the body and in markings under the eyes.
Black hairs are observed on the ventral region and on the legs.
White hair can be seen on the face and soles of the feet.
The red panda is an omnivorous animal, however, most of its diet is based on the consumption of bamboo.
The red panda is most active during dusk, dawn and night.
Red pandas breed in early winter.
The species is classified as endangered.
Characteristics of the red panda
Red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) are mammals which are between 56 cm and 62 cm long, weigh 3.7 kg at 6.2 kg and have a tail measuring 37 cm to 47 cm long. They have a waddling gait due to the presence of inward-angled front legs. Your head is round, the muzzle é short, ears they are triangular and upright, and the tail is long.
Red pandas have thick and long hair that cover your body, acting as camouflage and also protection against the cold. The fur of these animals has a characteristic pattern, being the upper part of the body with reddish brown fur; the ventral region, black; black legs and soles of feet covered in white hair. On the face, its hair is predominantly white and it is possible to see reddish brown marks that resemble tears. On the tail, the hair they arearranged in a ring pattern, which alternate between red and yellow colors.
Red pandas They are shy, solitary and territorial. Its greatest activity is observed at dawn, dusk and during the night. They communicate by markings made with urine, feces and secretions and through visual displays, such as arching their tail and back and shaking their heads from side to side.
Where is the red panda?
Currently, red pandas are foundat the Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar and Nepal. These animals live in temperate climates in regions of deciduous and coniferous forests. In these forests, there is usually an understory of bamboo and hollow trees. Red pandas stand out for their spend most of their time up in trees, hardly descending to the ground.
See too:Koala — get to know this mammal that lives in the forests of Australia
What does the red panda eat?
Red pandas they are omnivorous animalswhich have a digestive tube typical of a carnivore and surprisingly feed basically vegetable. The main food in a red panda's diet is bamboo, however, it can feed also from fruits, lichens, roots, bird eggs and insects.
How do red pandas reproduce?
The red panda's breeding season is at the beginning of winter, and individuals of the species are generally only found during this period. Both females and males can mate with different partners during the season. The red panda It is a viviparous species, as well as most mammals, and gestation lasts about 134 days. From each pregnancy, one to four puppies are born.
Before the chicks are born, the female prepares a nest using sticks and leaves. This place will serve as a shelter for the puppy for the first 90 days. Soon after birth, the mother remains with the young for most of the day. Males do not play an important role in caring for the young. The cubs and the female will remain together until the start of the next breeding season.
Know more: What is the difference between oviparous, ovoviviparous and viviparous animals?
Curiosities about the red panda
Currently, according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the red panda is classified as in danger of extinction.
Bamboo makes up about 98% of the red panda's diet.
The red pandas can eat around 20 thousand bamboo leaves a day.
The black hair on the animal's ventral region prevents it from being seen when it is on the ground.
The hair on the feet of red pandas is quite thick, which means that these animals leave almost no footprints.
The red pandas have a false thumb, which is formed by a modified wrist bone. This false thumb helps them grab their food and cling to trees.
The maximum life expectancy of the red panda is 14 years.
