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Red Panda Wikipedia

Taxobox_begin | color=pink | name=Red Panda<br />StatusEndangered
Taxobox_image | image = image:Katzenb?r.jpg|260px| caption=Red Panda
Taxobox_begin_placement | color = pink
Taxobox_regnum_entry | taxon = Animalia
Taxobox_phylum_entry | taxon = Chordate|Chordata
Taxobox_classis_entry | taxon = mammal|Mammalia
Taxobox_ordo_entry | taxon = Carnivora
Taxobox_familia_entry | taxon = Ursidae
Taxobox_genus_entry | taxon = Ailurus
Taxobox_species_entry | taxon = fulgens
Taxobox_end_placement
Taxobox_section_binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Ailurus fulgens | author=Cuvier|date=1825
Taxobox_end
The Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens Latin "fire colored cat") or Lesser Panda, is a mostly herbivorous cat-sized (60 cm long) mammal. Its classification is uncertain. It was formerly classified in the raccoon family (Procyonidae), but now many experts, including Don E. Wilson|Wilson and DeeAnn M. Reeder|Reeder, classify it as a member of the bear family (Ursidae) or in its own family the Ailuridae. It is native to the Himalayas and southern China. Fossil evidence suggests that it once also existed in North America.

Its Western world|Western name is taken from a Himalayan language, possibly Nepalese, but its meaning is uncertain. One theory is that "panda" is an anglicisation of "poonya", which means "eater of bamboo". The Red Panda is also commonly known as the Wah because of its distinctive cry,.

Like the Giant Panda, it eats large amounts of bamboo. The Red Panda, however, has a digestive system more suited to a Carnivore|carnivorous diet and cannot digest cellulose, so that it must eat a great deal of bamboo to survive. Its diet also includes fruit, roots, acorns, and lichen, and Red Pandas are known to supplement their diet with young birds, eggs, small rodents, and insects on occasion. Captive Red Pandas readily eat meat. Red Pandas are excellent climbers and forage largely in trees. The Red Panda does little more than eat and sleep due to its low-calorie diet.

The Red Panda has semi-retractile claws and a "false thumb", really an extension of the wrist bone. Thick fur on the soles of the feet offers protection from cold and hides scent glands.

Adults are largely solitary and mainly nocturnal. Females give birth to litters of one to four young (most often two) between mid-May and mid-July. The young, born fully-furred, blind, and helpless, are weaned at five months of age. Sexual maturity occurs at age 18&ndash;20 months.

The species is endangered species|endangered, largely because of habitat loss, though there is also some illegal hunting.
Red Pandas are often killed for their coats to make fur hats and clothes. Also, because of the growing population in China, their habitats are knocked down in order to build houses. Approximately 10,000 pandas die per year, and approximately 7,000 of the 10,000 die from deforestation.

There are two subspecies of red panda: Ailurus fulgens fulgens and Ailurus fulgens styani. A.f. fulgens is a little smaller and its facial fur is much lighter; its range covers Nepal, Tibet, the India|Indian states of Assam and Sikkim; Bhutan and China. A.f. styani has more pronounced facial markings; it is restricted to northern Myanmar and some areas of China. The red panda depicted in the photo seems to be A.f. fulgens. The red panda is the state animal of Sikkim.

Last Modified:   2005-04-13