Red pandas face a number of threats including widespread habitat loss or fragmentation, as well as climate change and natural disasters. They are also widely hunted for their fur and for capture for the illegal wildlife trade.

Red pandas mainly eat bamboo. However, they do also occasionally eat fruit, insects, flowers, eggs and small lizards.

Red pandas live in high-altitude bamboo forests in the Himalayas and other high mountains in Nepal, Bhutan, China and small parts of India.

Red pandas are not bears. They belong to their own unique family called Ailuridae.

Despite their mild-mannered appearance, red pandas are highly territorial. If threatened, they defend themselves by standing on their hind legs and using their sharp claws to strike out.

10 years in the wild and up to 15 years in zoos.

This has been difficult to measure given the habitats they are found in. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000, and possibly as few as 2,500 remaining in the wild. Population has decreased by about 50% over the last 20 years.

There has been much scientific debate over the classification of red pandas. Red pandas were originally placed in the same family as the raccoon due to having similar skulls, teeth and tails. Later they were assigned to the bear family. Following further genetic research, they are now placed in their own unique family, Ailuridae.

The head and body is up to 65 cm long, with the tail up to 47 cm long. They weigh up to 7 kg.

Red pandas belong to their own unique family – Ailuridae and are not closely related to any particular species The family Ailuridae is in the same superfamily as weasels and raccoons.

Red pandas are generally quiet but communicate using squeals and twitters.

Red pandas are mostly nocturnal, but they are very active at dusk and dawn.

Despite sharing a common name, red panda and giant pandas are not closely related. The name ‘panda’ is believed to come from the meaning ‘bamboo-eater’. There has been much scientific debate over the classification of red pandas. Red pandas were originally placed in the same family as the raccoon. Later they were assigned to the bear family, of which the giant panda is a member. Following further genetic research, they are now placed in their own unique family, Ailuridae.

There are so many reasons why it is important to save red pandas. They are the only species of their kind, which makes them unique. They are a charismatic and popular species and therefore are considered an umbrella species. This means that because they are so popular, people will often want to help protect them, and protecting them also protects lots of other lesser known plants and animals in the region in which they live.

Red pandas are generally quiet but communicate using squeals and twitters. They also communicate using scent marking. This involves urinating or rubbing scent glands located at the base of their tails onto surfaces to pass along information such as readiness to breed. They mark their territory using scent glands located between their footpads.

Red pandas can have between 1 and 4 young, most commonly 1-2.