Wildlifeof China
Red Panda
Bears, Dogs & Otters
Photo: Sunuwargr · CC BY-SA 4.0
Ailurus fulgens
Basic stats
Diet
Primarily bamboo leaves, with fruit, flowers and other plant material
Habitat
Temperate conifer and broadleaf forest with abundant bamboo understory
Range
Nepal, Bhutan, northern India, northern Myanmar and southern Tibet
Size
56–62.5cm head–body length; 37–47.2cm tail
Weight
3.7–6.2kg
The western or Himalayan red panda has reddish-brown upper fur, black legs, a pale face and a long, ringed tail used for balance in trees. Compared with Ailurus styani, it has a less robust skull, less distinct tail rings and a paler face with more white. Adults in the older broad red-panda account measure 56–62.5cm from head to body and weigh 3.7–6.2kg. (Hu et al. 2020; Animal Diversity Web)
Under the two-species treatment, Ailurus fulgens occurs in Nepal, Bhutan, northern India, northern Myanmar and southern Tibet. Studies place it in cool Himalayan forest with bamboo cover, often on slopes near water; records in western Nepal were concentrated between 2,600m and 3,600m. It is arboreal and mainly active around dawn, dusk and night. Bamboo leaves dominate the diet, supplemented by fruit, flowers and other plant foods. (Mammal Diversity Database; Bista et al. 2021; Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Red Panda eat?
- Primarily bamboo leaves, with fruit, flowers and other plant material
- What habitat does the Red Panda live in?
- Temperate conifer and broadleaf forest with abundant bamboo understory
- Where is the Red Panda found?
- Nepal, Bhutan, northern India, northern Myanmar and southern Tibet
- How big is the Red Panda?
- 56–62.5cm head–body length; 37–47.2cm tail
- How much does the Red Panda weigh?
- 3.7–6.2kg