Red pandas are one of the cutest things that you will see when you plan to visit the forest. Because of their beautiful red fur, people try to kill them and that is the reason they are becoming an endangered species.
They resemble the giant pandas but unlike them, primarily they are herbivores. They love to eat bamboo leaves and shoots.
Primarily in the early ages, they were carnivores which also used to eat animals and meat as well but they have adapted themselves according to the environment. Now they are herbivores and 95 % of their diet consists of bamboo leaves and bamboo grass.
Red Pandas are found in the Eastern Himalayas and Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Burma. The red panda is also a state animal in the Indian state of Sikkim.
The red panda is also the mascot of the Darjeeling international festivals. They look quite different from the giant pandas and resemble more raccoon or weasel-type animals.
Red pandas are solitary animals and most of the time they love being alone in pairs. They live in dense forests where they find a peaceful environment and an abundance of bamboo trees.
Red Pandas’ closest related relative is the raccoon, but are now considered in a family of their own.
Habitat of Red Pandas
The habitat of the red pandas can vary from place to place, or you can say that environment but most of the red pandas live in a dense environment. Unlike the other pandas, they like to live in the remote mountainous areas of the Himalayas where they find dense forests.
The forests have a dense understory of bamboo and small trees. Their temperature usually falls between 10-25 degrees centigrade. Red pandas also inhibit elevation from 6,000-to 12,000 feet.
There are various factors involved when they are trying to find a place for their living or making dens. So, in their dens, they find a place where there is much peace and no other animals. Most of the time female red panda lives in dens and males go for eating the food on the trees and sleep.
If we talk about their sleep then you will be surprised to know that they can sleep as much as they like. There is no specific number that they can count on but they do two things in their life.
One is eating and the second one is sleeping. Most people say that their life is very boring but it’s not actually because they live their life like this. Whenever they are excited or happy, they make different noises as well. Those noises make the forests alive and happy.
Diet of Red Pandas
Just like the giant pandas, the red panda also likes to eat bamboo leaves and shoots. During the summers, the red panda may feed on mushrooms, leaves, grasses, roots, and acorns but most of the time they eat bamboo.
Although it is considered an herbivore, the red panda will occasionally take the bird eggs and it is speculated that they may eat mice and birds on occasions. The nutrient level of the bamboo is so low, the red pandas have a slow metabolism and spend a good part of their day foraging.
Are The Lifespans of Gorillas and Red Pandas Similar?
The gorilla lifespan and lifecycle differ significantly from those of red pandas. While red pandas typically live up to 10-15 years in the wild, gorillas can have a lifespan of 30-40 years. Moreover, red pandas are solitary creatures and have a different reproductive cycle compared to the social and highly reproductive nature of gorillas.
Red Panda’s Social Behavior
The red pandas are nocturnal and are most active in the early morning and late afternoon. It spends most of its time resting in trees conserving its energy as its bamboo diet has a low energy content. They are normally solitary creatures but when the breeding season comes, they form their own pairs.
Red pandas are territorial as well and they also mark their area with their scent. Mostly they are not aggressive but if they come across an animal who tries to attack them, they will become aggressive. They also communicate with each other by making different sounds. Red pandas have become an endangered specie ad we should also put efforts into saving them.
