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 - It's Nature (1)
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 - It's Nature (2)
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.

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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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Red Panda - It's Nature (10)

It's Nature

26 Comments

  1. Red Panda - It's Nature (11)

    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!

    Reply

    • Red Panda - It's Nature (12)

      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 :)

      Reply

  2. Red Panda - It's Nature (13)

    brittany

    these red pandas are so cute!! i wish i could have one

    Reply

  3. Red Panda - It's Nature (14)

    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

    Reply

  4. Red Panda - It's Nature (15)

    hoooohooooo

    i love red pandas but we have to make them safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

  5. Red Panda - It's Nature (16)

    deepak

    the info is nice but doesn’t answer the question specified

    Reply

  6. Red Panda - It's Nature (17)

    chinni

    there are very cute like a teddy bear

    Reply

  7. Red Panda - It's Nature (18)

    vimal

    i like redpandas secure their life pls

    Reply

  8. Red Panda - It's Nature (19)

    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

    Reply

  9. Red Panda - It's Nature (20)

    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

    Reply

  10. Red Panda - It's Nature (21)

    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! ;-;

    Reply

  11. Red Panda - It's Nature (22)

    piggy

    what does a red panda do for nature i need this by today the 24!

    Reply

  12. Red Panda - It's Nature (23)

    clara

    love red pandas they are cute.i am nine send me more informaion

    Reply

  13. Red Panda - It's Nature (24)

    sara

    the cutest animal in the world i love red pandas

    Reply

    • Red Panda - It's Nature (25)

      marcus

      hello fellow panda enthusiast i love red pandas to they r so cute love u XXXXXXXXXXXXX bye sexy kiss kiss

      Reply

      • Red Panda - It's Nature (26)

        i

        i agree , they are the besst, love them kallan!

  14. Red Panda - It's Nature (27)

    marcus

    there sooooooooooooo cute i love them OOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGG, u lot r so sad!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

    Reply

  15. Red Panda - It's Nature (28)

    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

    Reply

  16. Red Panda - It's Nature (29)

    bob

    hey whats up with pandas

    Reply

  17. Red Panda - It's Nature (30)

    upasana

    Red pandas are very cute, but unfortunately they are becoming extinct. i love them veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy much

    Reply

  18. Red Panda - It's Nature (31)

    marcus potter

    PANDASSSSSSSSS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

    Reply

  19. Red Panda - It's Nature (32)

    pandaprinces

    aye thees red pandas are sick. . . supah cuties i jus wanna let yall kno that. . . :D

    Reply

  20. Red Panda - It's Nature (33)

    Humphressgab

    I love Pandas

    Reply

  21. Red Panda - It's Nature (34)

    Humphressgab

    Pandas’ are my favorite!

    Reply

  22. Red Panda - It's Nature (35)

    Jeannie_corwell2000

    I Love red panda i am doing this as a proste in the school hahah(:

    Reply

  23. Red Panda - It's Nature (36)

    holly

    They are cute!

    Reply

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