10 Essential Facts About Red Pandas

The red panda is a mammal, mostly found in the Eastern Himalayas and the southwestern part of China. It has unique body features like an overwhelmingly white muzzle, white-lined ears, and reddish-brown fur. However, there is much to learn about this fascinating animal. Let’s discover ten incredible facts about red pandas!

1. Red Pandas Are Not Closely Tied To Giant Pandas

When you mention a panda, the image that comes to most people’s minds is that of a giant panda. However, contrary to what you may have thought, red pandas are not closely related to giant pandas. Scientific discoveries have placed them in a family of their own (Ailuridae). These discoveries further revealed that red pandas are more closely related to skunks and raccoons than to giant pandas.

2. The Diet Of Red Pandas Primarily Comprises Bamboo

Bamboo makes up to 90% of a red panda’s meal. When we say bamboo, we mean shoots and leaf tips, not the bark or branches. Interestingly, their digestive system struggles with processing the cellulose components of the plant, but they like what they like. 

3. Red Pandas’ Digestive System Is Better Suited For A Carnivorous Diet

Remember what we said earlier about the red panda’s digestive system struggling to process bamboo plant cells? Well, that’s because they have a carnivorous digestive system that can process fats and protein better than the fibers and carbohydrates found in their preferred meals. This explains why they also prey on birds, grubs, insects, and even small mammals. 

4. There Are Two Red Panda Species

Quite recently, scientists separated red pandas into two species, nullifying the earlier belief that they are a species with two subspecies. The two species are the Chinese red panda and the Himalayan red panda. The Chinese red panda is the larger species and it has darker fur, while the Himalayan red panda often has more white on its face. 

5. Adult Red Pandas Only Socialize During Mating Seasons

If you were to randomly spot a red panda, it would most likely be by itself, all alone. The only time they socialize is during the mating season in early winter. Female red pandas typically have a gestation period of up to 145 days, during which they collect homely items like grass, sticks, and leaves to build a nest, which is usually in hollow trees or rock fissures. 

6. Red Pandas Have Pseudo-Thumbs

Red pandas may appear to have thumbs, but they actually do not. This is because they have an extended wrist bone that can function as a thumb, but it cannot be called an appendage in a strict sense. 

These pseudo-thumbs are another thing they have in common with giant pandas besides a predominantly bamboo diet. The thumbs help with their grasp of bamboo and other tree branches. A study revealed the thumb is an inheritance from an ancient member of the red panda family. 

7. Red Pandas Are One Of The Few Animals That Can Climb Headlong

There aren’t many animals that can descend a tree head-first. The red panda is one of the few animals that can do that thanks to its very flexible ankles. While most other animals would crawl down with their hindlimbs, red pandas do it head-first with relative ease. They also have sharp claws with some level of retractability that enables them to grasp slippery branches. Not to mention their ringed and bushy tails, which serve as a ballast to help them retain balance. 

8. Red Pandas Can Survive Extreme Cold

Another fascinating fact about red pandas is that they are able to cope with extreme temperatures. Every part of their body is covered with thick fur, and that includes the tail which is covered in a woolly undercoat that is incredibly dense. There’s even a layer of fur beneath their feet.

9. Red Pandas Are Endangered Species

According to the IUCN, red pandas are believed to be endangered owing to a number of unfortunate factors. Their report reveals that the red panda population has declined by up to 50% over the last three generations. Currently, the population of red pandas stands at less than 10,000 individuals. 

Sadly, experts project further decline due to the low survival rate of red pandas in some regions as well as the problem of fragmentation. Also, some Himalayan bamboos, confirmed to make up most of their diet, are affected by deforestation, fire, overgrazing, and general environmental deterioration. 

10. Conservationists Have Touted Nepal As A Possible Conservation Region

When we have endangered species, there are often well-intentioned, coordinated, and sponsored efforts by conservationists to save the species. In the case of red pandas, conservationists have found that about 14% of the Nepal region makes a perfect habitat for red pandas. 

However, the problem is not entirely solved because 75% of these possible habitats are unprotected, which would still leave them at risk. There are several organizations putting in painstaking efforts to save the red panda species and we urge that they be supported by way of funding, volunteering, and ideas.

Also, it is of utmost importance that countries around the world, especially those with a high red panda population, make solid conservation moves. This includes avoiding habitat destruction and fragmentation and discouraging deforestation in areas with large concentrations of red panda habitats.