Details
Ailurus fulgens
The red panda is a solitary mammal of Himalayan forests and mountains. Crepuscular and arboreal, it feeds mainly on bamboo.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses cool montane forest with bamboo understory. Good habitat combines tree resting sites with bamboo on the forest floor.
Body length is about 50-64 cm and weight about 3-6.2 kg. Reddish fur, white facial markings, a long ringed tail, and semi-retractile claws are distinctive.
Active around dawn and dusk, it moves alone between trees and the ground. During warmer hours it often rests on branches or in cavities.
It is herbivorous, eating mostly bamboo leaves and young stems. Fruit, nuts, and insects may supplement the diet.
Young are raised in tree hollows or lined nests. The mother may move them between nests and later guides them toward feeding sites.
Its status is listed as Endangered. Fragmented montane forest and changes in bamboo habitat are major threats.
