Wildlife Wednesday - Red Pandas

red panda ornament
Last week we talked about the Giant Panda. This week we are going to learn some fun facts about Red Pandas like Xelpho!
sleeping  red panda

Red pandas live in the same areas of China as Giant Pandas, but they have a much wider ranger. Red pandas can also be found in Nepal and North Myanmar.

Red pandas spend the majority of their lives in trees. They even sleep in them.

Red pandas are active at dawn and dusk.
red panda
The red panda was discovered 48 years before the giant panda.
Just like giant pandas, the red panda has a false thumb, an extended wrist bone that acts almost like a thumb that helps them grip things.
Red pandas have semi-retractable claws.
 red panda eating

Red pandas have soft, thick fur that covers their whole body, even the soles of their feet. The fur on their feet helps them keep warm and prevents slipping on wet tree branches.

The reddish-brown fur of this animals helps it to blend in with the reddish-brown moss that covers many of the branches in its habitat.
 red panda napping

Red pandas have long fluffy tails. They use their tails for balance in the trees and to keep themselves warm in the winter.


Not counting their tails, red pandas are about the size of a house cat.


Red pandas are shy solitary animals and hard to study in the wild.

sleeping red panda
Red pandas eat about 2-4 pounds of bamboo leaves and shoots a day. Being carnivores they can't digest most of the bamboo they eat.

They also eat berries and other fruit, acorns, roots, bird eggs, lizards and bugs but bamboo makes up the majority of their diet.

 red panda
Red pandas are endangered due to habitat loss.

Red pandas have 1-4 cubs. Cubs have gray fur at birth.

The red panda makes many sounds, the most unique is described as a 'quack-snort.'
 red panda
The red panda has many different names. They are also known as the Lesser Panda, the Red Cat Bear and the Fire Fox.
Lesser panda is an inaccurate name for red pandas. Giant Pandas are classified as bears. Red pandas are are in their own unique family are are not considered bears.

If you'd like a cute felt red panda of your very own you can find Xelpho the Squshies red panda here.
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