RED PANDA
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RED PANDA
We heard so much about Giant Panda and even the mascot of WWF is Giant Panda. But do you know there is another species of panda which have not been publicized a lot and they are endangered of an extincts if we don't properly learn to preserve these beautiful animal. The animal that referring to are "Red Panda". Red Panda are known by different names. The Chinese call them WAH. They also are known as lesser panda, fire fox, bamboo cat, bear cat.
Contents at a Glance
Description
DESCRIPTION
Red Pandas are approximately 170 cm (42 inches) long, with relatively long, furry tails. The tails are marked with about 12 alternating red and buff rings and are not prehensile.
The head is round; the rostrum is shortened and the ears are large, erect and pointed. Long, coarse guard hairs cover the body and the undercoat is soft, dense and woolly. The body is darker in eastern specimens. The face is predominantly white with reddish-brown "tear" marks under the eyes. They have a long tail with black and white rings around the tip of the tail.
There is no outward difference between the males and females. They have modified wrist bone, radial sesmoid bone, that has been adapted to their diet of bamboo. Average adult weight is about 5.0kg
Red Pandas are approximately 170 cm (42 inches) long, with relatively long, furry tails. The tails are marked with about 12 alternating red and buff rings and are not prehensile.
The head is round; the rostrum is shortened and the ears are large, erect and pointed. Long, coarse guard hairs cover the body and the undercoat is soft, dense and woolly. The body is darker in eastern specimens. The face is predominantly white with reddish-brown "tear" marks under the eyes. They have a long tail with black and white rings around the tip of the tail.
There is no outward difference between the males and females. They have modified wrist bone, radial sesmoid bone, that has been adapted to their diet of bamboo. Average adult weight is about 5.0kg
Fossil Record
Fossil remains seem to indicate a relationship to the Procyonidae family raccoon) The origins of the relatives of Ailurus seemed to have originated in Pakistan and western Europe and than radiating out. An animal, Sivanasua seems to be the earliest ailurine. It lived in the Upper Miocene in Europe and the lower Pliocene of Asia.
Paralurus, an extinct panda lived in the lower Pliocene (3-4 million years ago) lived in Europe and North America. Ailurus shows similar cranial and dental morphology to Paralurus. The intermediate forms between Paralurus and Ailurus are not know. The red panda is smaller in size than Paralurus
Geographic Range
Red Panda are found throughout mountains between 2,200 and 4,800 meters in elevation in northern Burma(Myanmar) the Districts of western Sichuan and Yunnan. For further information, there are two (2) sub-species of red panda. A.f.Fulgens, lives in the Himalayas and A.F.styani, is slightly larger and is found in southwestern China in Sichuan and Yunnan and in northern Burma.
Their Geographic range is bounded in the north by the Namlung Valley in the Mugo District and the Lake Rara region of northern Nepal, in the south by the Linkiang Range of western Yunnan, and the northern and eastern boundary is the upper Min Valley of western Sichuan (Roberts & Gittleman 1984)
Red Panda Range Map
Feeding/Diets
They feed almost exclusively bamboo, about 95% of their diet consists on bamboo. The remaining 5% of their diet consists of fruit, berries or seeds. They occasionally eat small animals and bird eggs.This diet is rather low in energy content, so red panda move slowly and spend a lot of time resting in order to save energy.
Predators
Snow leopards are the main predators of red pandas (they can climb trees). Baby cubs are often eaten by yellow-necked martens.
Behavior
BEHAVIOR
Red Pandas are crepuscular and extremely aboreal. They spend many daylight hours curled up in the trees with their heads resting on the branches. Their red and white markings perfectly mimic the redish-brown tree trunks with the white lichen of their habitat.
They are excellent climbers and will readily descend trees head first, using their hind legs for gripping and their tails for support and balance. In the evening hours, they climb to the ground to eat bamboo plants, but return to the trees to sleep. Although red pandas can move rapidly when foraging food, they are fairly sedentary creatures with slow metabolisms. In fact, their metabolisms are similar to those of the tree sloths!
Although red pandas are mostly solitary, they actively communicate with one another using a variety of vocalizations. Most commonly they emit short whistles or squeaking notes. When provoked, they stand on their hind legs and make a series of hisses and grunts. Other visual displays include tail wagging and head shaking. Even though they have relatively small home ranges, red pandas scent mark the boundaries of their territories by leaving a musky odor on tree branches and bamboo shoots.
Red Pandas are crepuscular and extremely aboreal. They spend many daylight hours curled up in the trees with their heads resting on the branches. Their red and white markings perfectly mimic the redish-brown tree trunks with the white lichen of their habitat.
They are excellent climbers and will readily descend trees head first, using their hind legs for gripping and their tails for support and balance. In the evening hours, they climb to the ground to eat bamboo plants, but return to the trees to sleep. Although red pandas can move rapidly when foraging food, they are fairly sedentary creatures with slow metabolisms. In fact, their metabolisms are similar to those of the tree sloths!
Although red pandas are mostly solitary, they actively communicate with one another using a variety of vocalizations. Most commonly they emit short whistles or squeaking notes. When provoked, they stand on their hind legs and make a series of hisses and grunts. Other visual displays include tail wagging and head shaking. Even though they have relatively small home ranges, red pandas scent mark the boundaries of their territories by leaving a musky odor on tree branches and bamboo shoots.
Reproduction And Breeding
REPRODUCTION AND BREEDINGRed pandas breed during the winter months. For a few weeks before mating, the male will closely associate with a female, continuously checking her urine and feces to determine if she is receptive. The female initiates mating by flicking her tail and increasing her activity. The actual mating process can last from three to 40 minutes.
Just before giving birth, the female makes a nest of grasses, sticks and leaves in the hollow of a tree or in a rock crevice. Although the male may remain within the general territory, he will play no role in rearing or caring for the young. Because of the long gestation period, it is thought that red pandas might undergo delayed implantation, where the fertilized embryo is held in stasis for some months.
The young are born with their eyes and ears closed and covered in grey fur.
At 18 days their eyes open and they begin to be more active and the mother leaves the den more often. It will be two months, however, before they engage in active play with their siblings to learn the behaviors needed for survival in the wild.
At 70 days, they attain adult coloration, but it will be one year before they reach adult size. At three months of age, red pandas begin to eat solid food. At this point, they are already excellent climbers and mostly independent from their mother, although they will remain with her for one year or until her next litter is born.
Lifespan/Longevity
Lifespan:The maximum life span for a captive red panda is 14 years with 8-10 years average age. The average life span in the wild is not known.
Red Pandas Facts and Info Link List
- Red Panda - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat"), is a mostly herbivorous mammal, specialized as a bamboo feeder. It is slightly larger than a domestic cat ...
- Red Panda Fact Sheet - National Zoo| FONZ
- Red pandas live in the cool temperate bamboo forests in Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces in China, in the Himalayas, and in Myanmar.
- Red Panda: The Fire Cat - National Zoo| FONZ
- The first known written record of the red panda occurs in a 13th-century Chou dynasty scroll. But it wasnt until some six centuries later that red pandas ...
- Animal Info - Red Panda
- The red panda (which is much smaller than the giant panda) resembles a raccoon in size and appearance. The red panda weighs 3 - 6 kg (7 - 13 lb). ...
- The Red Panda Project - Conservation in Action
- Red Panda Project-Protecting the World's Red Pandas.
- Red Panda
- Red Pandas are found in the temperate forests of the Himalayas and some high mountain areas of China and Myanmar (Burma). ...
- Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
- Description, including geographic range, physical characteristics, and natural history.
- BBC - Science & Nature - Wildfacts - Red panda, lesser panda
- Photographs, video clip, and fact sheet from BBC Online.
- Red Panda Printout- EnchantedLearning.com
- The Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens, is a shy, long-tailed mammal from mountain forests of Nepal, Burma, and China.
- The Red Pandas Have Moved
- The Red Pandas Have Moved. They can now be found at http://home.fuse. net/redpanda/redpanda.html. You will be redirected in 20 seconds if your browser ...
- Red Panda Genetics - gallery
- Sarah leads workshops on red panda husbandry for staff from other zoos. More knowledge on red pandas has improved the survival, health, and longevity of the ...
- Red Panda, Red Panda Profile, Facts, Information, Photos, Pictures ...
- Get red panda profile, facts, information, photos, pictures, sounds, habitats, reports, news, and more from National Geographic.
Amazing and Interesting Facts
- Red Pandas are related to the Raccoon.
- These Carnivores were first described in literature in the early 1800's.
- Their scientific name means, fire colored cat.
- The word "panda" comes from a Nepalese word which means "eater of bamboo".
- Red Pandas are agile climbers, able to descend trees head first, using their long tail for balance.
- The color and markings of the red panda provide good camouflage in the tree, which often covered with reddish lichen.
- Red Pandas are under treat in the wild; they do not adapt well to other habitats when their forests are cut down, particularly because of their dependency on bamboo as food.
- An enlarged bone in the red panda's wrist acts as an extra thumb which comes in useful when climbing or grasping food.
Conservation
Red Pandas, like many species that inhabit the Asian forests, are endangered. The most common threat to their survival is loss of habitat by human encroachment and domestic cattle grazing.
Although law protects them, their beautiful coloration makes them highly vulnerable to poachers in the fur trade. Due to their quiet nature they are even found in the pet market.
Ailurus Fulgens or Red Panda Eating Bamboo Leaves
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SAVE THE RED PANDA
"The Red Panda Project"
Their Mission
The Red Panda Project educates and empowers local communities to serve as active partners in the conservation of wild red pandas and their habitat.
Their Mission
The Red Panda Project educates and empowers local communities to serve as active partners in the conservation of wild red pandas and their habitat.
The Dailylife of Panda on Amazon
Rendevouz Red Panda on CafePress
Shoppy Doppy Red Panda on eBay
Reader Feedback
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studyaids
Sep 26, 2011 @ 3:07 pm | delete
- A wonderful lense with excellent photos.
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imolaK
Feb 8, 2011 @ 5:33 am | delete
- Very nice lens, informative and the photos are beautiful,too. Blessed by an Angel!
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d-artist Dec 16, 2010 @ 9:35 pm | delete
- A well done and interesting lens on this darling Red Panda, I have never seen one.
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Sep 29, 2010 @ 9:23 am | delete
- Hello, very informative blog. I always come across the blog to learn more interesting things as you note. Generic Viagra
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Sep 29, 2010 @ 9:19 am | delete
- What a beautiful animals, I'm a follower of them and also always bring knowledge in my own blog about how to keep safe the wild life. I've lucky to find this here.
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