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Red panda Facts

Red panda Facts
Red panda is a close relative of giant panda. Although less popular, red panda is discovered 48 years before giant panda. This bear-like creature can be found in the Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, Laos and Myanmar. Red panda lives in mountain forests. Intense deforestation resulted in great reduction in the number of red pandas in the wild. Other than habitat loss, number of red pandas is decreased through uncontrolled hunt because of the fur. Red panda is listed as endangered species.
Interesting Red panda Facts:
Red panda can reach 20 to 26 inches in length and 7 to 14 pounds in weight. Its tail can be 12 to 20 inches long.
Red panda is also known as "Fire Fox" because of its size and red color of the fur. Upper side of the red panda is red and white in color. Legs and belly are black. This type of coloration provides camouflage in the forest. Red panda is a trademark of Firefox browser.
Tail is covered in red and white rings. Tail ensures balance during movement through the forest. Also, red panda wraps tail around the body during the night to prevent heat loss.
Red panda spends most of its life in the trees. Red panda moves slowly and carefully on the ground.
Red panda is an omnivore (eats both plants and animals). It mostly eats bamboo, but it also consumes fruit, roots, eggs and small mammals.
Just like giant panda, red panda has additional thumb which is used for grabbing of the bamboo sticks. Red panda has retractable claws (they can be hidden inside the paw).
Red panda eats 200 000 leaves of bamboo per day. Due to low caloric value of the leaves, red panda rests most of the day because it needs to conserve the energy.
Red panda is a solitary creature that gathers with other red pandas only during the mating season.
Red panda is diurnal (active during the day) animal that is mostly active in the morning and late afternoon.
Red panda communicates using the body language and different type of sounds. Specific whistle is used to alert others about the upcoming danger.
Main predators of red panda are: leopard, clouded leopard and wild dogs.
Mating season of red panda takes place early in the winter. Pregnancy in female lasts three months and ends with one to four cubs.
Mother prepares nest of twigs and grass and takes care of the babies on her own. Babies are born blind, their ears are closed and body is covered with grey fur.
Young red pandas stay in the nest during the first three months of their life. They will stay with their mother until the next breeding season.
Red panda can survive 7 to 8 years in the wild and up to 14 years in captivity.


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