Adorable Red Pandas

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Red pandas live in high-altitude, temperate forests with bamboo in the Himalayas and other high mountains. They can be found from northern Myanmar to the western Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces of China and as far as Nepal, India, and Tibet. They have a ruddy fur coat which helps to camouflage them in the canopy of fir trees. They have large, round heads, short snouts, and big pointed ears. Their faces are white with reddish-brown “tear” marks. The markings help keep the sun out of their eyes. Their big bushy tails help them balance and protect them from harsh cold and winds. They are skilled climbers and use trees as shelter to escape from predators and sunbathe in the winter. Red pandas are carnivores feeding on bamboo, roots, succulent grasses, fruit, insects, and grubs. Birds and small mammals supplement their diets. They are active at any time of the day but can be most active at dawn and dusk. When temperatures are really low, they become dormant, lowering their metabolic rate and raising it every few hours as they wake up and look for food. In the Northern Hemisphere, red pandas breed from January through March, and in the Southern Hemisphere from June through August. Females create nests in tree holes, hollow stumps, tree roots or bamboo thickets. The nests are lined with moss, leaves, and other soft material. Litters consist of two cubs born completely covered in fur. The offspring stay with the mother for about one year when they become full-grown.