Red Pandas

Red pandas are endangered with a global population of less than 10,000. They live in temperate forests in Nepal, India, Bhutan, Burma, and China. They have an average lifespan of 8 to 10 years. There are two species, the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda. They eat bamboo, fruit, acorns, eggs, rodents, roots, and birds. Red pandas have special claws and wrist bones that help them climb and grip on branches. Their black bellies help them hide from predators. They use their tails to keep warm and for balance in trees. They communicate by arching their tails, bobbing their heads, and making unique sounds. Red pandas are an endangered species of the global population of less than 10,000, which is still currently decreasing. They are typically found in temperate forests in Nepal, India, Bhutan, Burma, and China. Their average lifespan in the wild is 8 to 10 years, and there are two species, the Himalayan red panda and the Chinese red panda. The Chinese species are larger and have more distinct rings on the tail. The main food they eat include bamboo, fruit, acorns, eggs, rodents, roots, and birds. Red pandas have semi-retractable claws to help grip into branches and extended wrist bones to help them grab bamboo shoots. They can climb headfirst on trees due to having flexible ankles. Their black bellies help them to not be seen by predators on the ground. Their fur is made up of a soft undercoat and coarse hairs over the top to insulate them. They use their tails to cover themselves to keep warm during the winter and for balance as they usually stay in trees. They also communicate to each other by arching their tails, bobbing their heads, and making a sound described as a mix between a duck quack and a pig snort. They bark when threatened to intimidate predators.