Red panda
I.U.C.N status
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Identity card
Bamboo, fruits, berries, roots, bark, mushrooms, lichen, insects and other small animals.
Did you know?
The red panda demonstrates remarkable climbing skills, being able to descend a tree headfirst thanks to its semi-retractile claws and the rotation of its hind legs by nearly 90 degrees. In addition, it has a sixth finger on its front paws, formed by a modified wrist bone, allowing it to grasp bamboo branches more easily.
Threats and conservation
It is estimated that fewer than 10,000 red pandas remain and that this population is in decline. This decrease is mainly due to habitat loss, particularly as a result of logging, as well as poaching. The NGO Red Panda Network has developed a community conservation project in which Nepalese forest rangers from local communities have committed to census work, population monitoring and combating forest fires.
