The Red Panda

               The Red Panda, also known as the shining cat, can be found in eastern Nepal, as well as southwest China. This Himalayan panda is only slightly larger than a domestic cat, has reddish-brown fur and a large, bushy tail. Some westerners might mistake it for some type of mountain racoon—but in fact, it is quite the amazing little panda.

                In line with other species of pandas, this cuddley creature snacks on bamboo and enjoys eggs, insects, and even the occasional small mammal. This particular panda is usually hard to spot as it is most active from dusk til dawn, and is usually curled up sleeping somewhere during the day.

                Tragically, this species of panda has been named “Vulnerable” by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), which means there are less than or equal to 10,000 remaining in the wild. Because of deforestation and poaching, laws have been set in place to protect the Red Panda. They are still, however, under threat, as the laws in both Nepal and China are sparsely enforced.

                Mainly, the Red Panda can be found in the temperate forests of the Himalayas, but the habitat ranges from western Nepal to as far east as the Qinling Mountains of the Shaanxi Province of China. The Red Panda can be found in Tibet, Skikkim, Assam, Bhutan, and the northern most mountains of Burma. The western most point the Red Panda can be found in Nepal is in the Rara National Park. It has been documented that the Red Panda lives between 2,200-4,800 meters and lives comfortably in temperatures between 10 & 25 degrees Celcius (50 to 77 degrees F). You’ll most likely spot one of these creatures in conifer forests, sleeping in old trees, or in the dense understories of bamboo.

An interesting fact—Mozilla Firefox browser is said to be named after the Chinese name for the Red Panda “Fire Fox”. Although Mozilla hasn’t confirmed this, it seems likely!