SPECIES
Red panda
Ailurus fulgens
A flame-coloured forest climber with a tail built for balance and cold mountain nights.
Its flexible ankles let it move down tree trunks head-first; much of its day passes among branches.
Although classed among the carnivores, it feeds heavily on bamboo and also takes fruit, eggs and invertebrates.
Temperate forests of the eastern Himalayas and adjoining south-western Chinese mountains.
Where does a red panda live?
Temperate forests of the eastern Himalayas and adjoining…
Worth knowing
- Adaptation Its flexible ankles let it move down tree trunks head-first; much of its day passes among branches.
- Ecological role Although classed among the carnivores, it feeds heavily on bamboo and also takes fruit, eggs and invertebrates.
- Home Temperate forests of the eastern Himalayas and adjoining south-western Chinese mountains.
How it survives
Its flexible ankles let it move down tree trunks head-first; much of its day passes among branches.
A flame-coloured forest climber with a tail built for balance and cold mountain nights.
Why relationships matter
Although classed among the carnivores, it feeds heavily on bamboo and also takes fruit, eggs and invertebrates.
Where it lives
Temperate forests of the eastern Himalayas and adjoining south-western Chinese mountains.
Pressures and responses
Forest fragmentation, snares and the loss of bamboo-rich habitat.
Protect connected forests and reduce trapping while supporting local communities.
Sources
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology — Animal Diversity Web, Ailurus fulgens
- GBIF — Ailurus fulgens accepted taxon
- World Wildlife Fund — Eastern Himalayan habitat
- Smithsonian National Zoo — Mostly solitary
- Red Panda Network — Where do red pandas live?
- World Wildlife Fund — Why are red pandas endangered?
- Red Panda Network — Free-roaming dogs are a threat
Records of where it has been seen come live from GBIF; observed interactions from GloBI. Draft — not yet reviewed by a person.