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red_panda
📅 Updated:2023-05-31
🕒 Created:2011-07-08
🆔 ID:2085
Description
The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a small, arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only extant species of the genus Ailurus, and was named a "panda" before the giant panda was so named. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs. It feeds mainly on bamboo, but is omnivorous and may also eat eggs, birds, insects, and small mammals. It is a solitary animal, mainly active from dusk to dawn, and is largely sedentary during the day. They are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
It is worth noting that red pandas are not bears at all, and are more closely related to skunks, raccoons, and weasels.
