Look at that adorable little face! This red panda, which more closely resembles a raccoon than it does a black and white panda is on the endangered list. It is thought that fewer than 2,500 adults still exist.
These adorable creatures, who were once included in the same family as panda bears and then included in the same family as raccoon, now has its own categorization. It is listed in the Ailuridae family. There are no other animals in that category currently.
These bamboo eaters are approximately 42 inches long, including the tail. They weigh between seven and 14 pounds. Its fur is a beautiful red (which deepens in the winter) and white about the back and the face. Its tail is brownish red. And interestingly, their bellies, legs, and feet are black.
Although the red panda really has little in common with the panda bear other than common habitat, they have a common name. It has been said that this little creature had the name "panda" before it was later given to the panda bear as. The panda bear was thought to look like a bigger version of the red panda so it was dubbed the "giant panda."
The biggest threat to the red panda is said to be humans. They are hunted for their pelts. Further, their habitats are being disturbed by people moving into their area. Their main "natural predator" is the snow leopard.
Unfortunately, the red panda gives birth once a year to one or two babies. The babies stay with their mothers until the following year when new babies are born. Young red pandas are able to reproduce at about the age of 18 months.
These beautiful creatures live to be about 8 to 10 years old, though they have been known to live to be about 15 years old in captivity.
If you would like more information on the red panda or if you would like to 'adopt' one, visit the Smithsonian National Zoological Park Web site.
