Red Panda

Red pandas are solitary, except during the mating season. They are not fussy when choosing a partner as both the male and female mate with several partners. After a gestation period of about 4 months, the female gives birth to one to four blind cubs – newborns are only able to see clearly after six weeks. Born completely covered in brown fur, the cubs will fi rst gain their typical reddish-brown colour after several weeks.

Today, the red panda is an endangered species with only about 10,000 individuals remaining in their natural habitat. The biggest threat to their survival is habitat destruction due to logging and clearing of bamboo forests for cattle farming. Other threats include poaching for their fur and predators such as wild dogs.

Red pandas live in the Himalayas at altitudes up to 4,000 m. They have thick fur to keep them warm, including white fur on the soles of their feet.