WHAT IS THE RED PANDA?
The red panda or Ailurus fulgens is a smaller relative of the giant panda. Many zoologists debate weather the red pandas are more closely related to the raccoon family or to the bear family, but many experts think they belong to a family of their own. The red panda is slightly larger than a large housecat, has rusty red fur, a long light and dark striped tail, a short white nose, and dark tear tracks. It is crepuscular which means it is active around dawn and dusk and is very good at climbing and spends much of its time in trees. Red pandas are called by many names including lesser panda, hun-ho, wah, and red cat bear. Besides your local zoo the red panda in nature is often found in the bamboo forests of Nepal, Burma, Bhutan, Tibet and Yunnan provinces in western China. The red panda feeds mostly on bamboo leaves just like it’s larger cousin the great panda bear. They are also known to feed on berries, mushrooms, bark, bird eggs, acorns, lichens and mice. If you visit them in the zoo y
