Red Panda - Five Sisters Zoo

Found only in a narrow habitat range primarily in the Himalayan mountains, the Red Panda is an arboreal (tree-dwelling) mammal, with a thick coat of reddish-brown fur, a black underbelly and a white mask on their face. Their tail, which is faintly ringed in darker shades of their coat colour, can be used to help balance in the trees and keep them warm in cold weather. Their colouration provides excellent camouflage, with the black blending with the tree branches from below and the red mimicking a moss in the tress, helping to hide them from predators above or below.

Facts

Diet: Omnivore; the vast majority of their diet is bamboo shoots but they will also consume fruit, nuts, small mammals and bird eggs.

Weight: 3-6kg

Length: 85cm-1m including tail

Habitat: China, Nepal, India, Myanmar and Bhutan;  temperate and sub-tropical rainforest and conifer forest, typically at altitudes of 1500m or more. Red Panda habitat with have high levels of bamboo growth and easy access to water sources.

Lifespan: 7 years in the wild, 10-12 years in captivity

Adapted to Survive

  • Specialized wrists allow them to grip bamboo shoots for eating
  • Ankle joints have evolved to allow them to climb down trees head-first
  • Semi-retractable claws and fur on their feet helps the Red Panda stay balanced in the trees, even in high winds

Threats

  • Habitat loss and fragmentation
  • Loss of food source due to human expansion
  • Poaching and hunting

IUCN Conservation Status

Endangered

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