Animal Fact Sheet
RED PANDA
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Aluridae
Genus: Ailurus
Species: fulgens
Subspecies: fulgens
Male: boar
Female: sow
Young: cub
Group: nursery
Credit: Zoo Staff
Description:
The red panda has a dense coat and a bushy, ringed tail. Their fur
coat is red on the back and dark brown on the belly. With a masked
face, they resemble a raccoon more than the giant panda. They also
have long, sharp semi-retractable claws.
Size:
They are 1 ½ to 2 feet in length and weigh between 8 and 13 pounds.
Diet:
In the Wild: about 95% bamboo shoots and leaves especially new
growth, but they also include grasses, roots, acorns, insects, small
mammals, birds, eggs, blossoms and berries
At the Zoo: bananas, apples, pears, bamboo, leaf-eater biscuits.
Geographic
Range:
Habitat:
Two subspecies occupy the following ranges: The Himalayan foothills
from Western Nepal through northern Burma and into China
(subspecies A. f. fulgens) as well as in the mountains of southwest
China including western Sichuan, Xizang and Yunnan Provinces
(subspecies A. f. refulgens also known as A. f. styani).
They prefer temperate cloud forests at altitudes between 4,900 and
13,000 feet with cool temperatures and little temperature variation.
The habitat tends to be montane or subalpine forests with conifers
(fir and hemlock mainly) mixed with deciduous trees such as oak,
chestnut and maple. The understory includes rhododendron and
bamboo.
Reproduction:
Special
Adaptations:
The mating season for red pandas is from January to March. Females
come into estrus for about 14 days, and males will fight for the right
to breed with them. Females will build a nest of sticks, grass and
leaves in a hollow trunk or rock crevice. After a 112 to 158 day
gestation period, the female gives birth to up to 4 young. At 3
months, the cubs will emerge from the nest. Only the female cares
for the cubs. It has been noted that in captivity the male may begin
to play with the cubs after they are weaned at 5 months of age.
They have a “thumb” made of a modified wrist bone (the radial
sesmoid bone) on both forepaws that helps them grab food and
climb. Their long tail helps support and balances them while they are
climbing. They will also wrap their tail around their body and head to
keep warm while sleeping. On the soles of their feet, they grow hair
that will prevent them from slipping on branches.
Behavior:
Red pandas are solitary with the exception of females with young and
brief encounters for breeding. They are crepuscular, being most
active at dusk and dawn. Red pandas are territorial, and will scent
mark their territories with anal glands, urine, feces and glands on the
soles of their feet. Males will fight over territories and the right to
mate. When the males meet, they arch their backs and lower their
heads, then stand up on their hind legs and beat each other with
their paws. Red pandas also use vocalizations to communicate. They
threaten with a “huff-quack” sound, call to each other with a
“twitter” and “whistle” as a warning call.
Current Status:
The red panda is endangered and is currently near extinction in the
western part of its range due to habitat loss, hunting and the pet
trade. It is a protected species and conservation efforts are
increasing their numbers.
Related Species:
Red pandas are in their own family.
Where am I in
the Zoo:
The red pandas are in the entrance to Wild Asia, near the outside
gorilla exhibit.