SAVE THE RED PANDA

By Anna Harris

Physical Characteristics

The Red Panda is 31 to 47 inches long, and can weigh three to six pounds, depending on gender.

They have reddish-brown fur on their upper body, which fades into black along their midriff, and white fur on their face, with tear like markings slanting down from their eyes.

Behavior They are both nocturnal

and territorial, and adults are mainly solitary except during mating season.

Predators include: the snow leopard, martens, and humans.

When threatened, red pandas will either climb up into a tree or stand on their haunches to make themselves appear larger to their opponent.

Threats

People separating them from their natural habitat

Habitat degradation Deforestation Poaching

Phylogenetics (Species)

“It is not a bear, nor closely related to the giant panda, nor a raccoon, nor a lineage of uncertain affinities. Rather it is a basal lineage of musteloid, with a long history of independence from its closest relatives (skunks, raccoons, and otters/weasels/badgers).”

Captivity The red panda is very adaptable when it

comes to living in captivity. By 1992 there were more 300 red pandas

born in captivity world wide. There are captive breeding programs in

North America and Europe, as well as in Australia, India, Japan and China.

Sources http://

www.savetheredpanda.com/disthtm