Red Panda

Gentle, friendly, and shy, the red panda looks like a cross between a small bear and a raccoon, although it isn't actually either. Red pandas belong to their own family called Ailuridae. They live in the cool high altitude regions of southeastern Asia and survive on a main course of bamboo leaves with an occasional flower, berry or acorn on the side.

The red panda is an endangered species, with less than 2,500 adults still alive in zoos and in the wild. Their numbers in China have decreased 40% just over the last 50 years. The primary threat to their survival is habitat destruction. Population growth has led to much of the forested areas in southeast asia being cut down for timber or used for livestock grazing. Poachers also hunt red pandas for their bushy tails and soft fur.

Laws have been enacted to protect red pandas, but efforts to enforce the laws haven't been stringent enough to stop hunting. Many zoos have taken part in conservation programs to breed red pandas in captivity, although these efforts have made only a small difference due to the red panda's low birth rate. Organizations such as the Red Panda Network and the WWF are working with local communities to create innovative solutions and to help growth and development in these areas become more sustainable. Most of the organizations and zoos working to save red pandas have 'adopt a panda' programs to help support their work.

1. Also known as: lesser panda, firefox, fire cat, shining cat, red cat bear, wha, bright panda
2. Related to the raccoon
3. Discovered almost 50 years before black and white pandas
4. Sleep in trees
5. Can eat 200,000 bamboo leaves a day.
6. Communicate with squeaks and whistles
7. Spit like a cat when threatened
8. Claws are partly retractable
9. Wraps its tail around its head for warmth
10. Even their paw pads are covered in fur
11. Can jump as far as five feet to get from one tree branch to the next
12. Have to carefully conserve energy expenditure due to their low calorie diet
13. Females are only in heat for one day each year