Asia
The red panda is in the same family as the giant panda. One of their common features is a thumb-like finger that enables them to handle food. Like the giant panda and the polar bear, the red panda has hairy pads which increases its ability to stay warm and gives a more secure footing. The local populace in the panda’s native area use its fur for caps and tail hairs for brushes.
The panda is a crepuscular (active at dusk) and nocturnal animal, so if the Zoo’s panda is sleeping in a tree, then it has been active at night. The panda’s head is very broad because of its flat molars, an adaptive feature that enables the panda to crush hard bamboo shoots.
Food:
Bamboo shoots, grass, roots, berries and fruit. Occasionally they also eat insects, young birds and small mammals.
Habitat:
Mountain forests consisting of bamboo, rhododendron and oak at elevations of 2–4 kilometres.
Sexual maturity:
After 1½ years
Gestation period:
112–145 days
Number of cubs per litter:
1–4
Life expectancy:
Up to 14 years
