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Range and Habitat: Rugged mountain forests in high altitudes
on the southeastern slopes of the Himalayas. Distribution extends
from Nepal across Bhutan, Sikkim, northern Assam, northern Burma,
and as far east as the western Chinese provinces of Yunnan and
Szechuan. Pandas are very difficult to locate as they are often
high in the branches of trees that are covered with masses of
reddish-brown mosses, providing excellent camouflage.
Habits and Adaptations: Red pandas typically live alone,
but sometimes form pairs. They are crepuscular and nocturnal and
usually sleep during the day in trees. Their disposition is mild;
they are gentle, curious and generally quiet. Scientists have
long pondered the taxonomic classification of the pandas. Anatomical
features indicate red pandas to be akin to raccoons, but there
is also evidence that they are most closely related to the giant
panda.
Diet: Mostly vegetarian, primarily bamboo shoots, tuberous
roots, fruit, acorns and succulent grasses; also eggs and perhaps
birds and mice.
Breeding and Maturation: In captivity, the breeding season
extends from mid-January to early March. The females make nests
in tree hollows or rock crevices just before giving birth. Two
young are born after a gestation period of 130 days, and remain
dependent on their mother for three months. Pandas are sexually
mature at 20 months.
Miscellaneous: There is reason to believe that red pandas
are an endangered species, but that is difficult to determine
because of their inaccessibility in the wild. They are active
mainly at night, spend most of their time in trees, and often
live alone. They live at high altitudes in extremely rugged terrain
that can only be reached by foot, and within countries that are
usually off-limits to visitors. Most of the information about
red pandas has been gathered at the National Zoo which has successfully
bred these animals since 1972. The red panda was the "original"
panda, discovered in 1821, 48 years before the giant black and
white pandas were found in 1869. They are considered to be one
of the most beautiful of animals, and are presently exhibited
in only a fortunate few zoos in the world.
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