The Red Pandas in China, Where Red Pandas Live (2024)

The Red Pandas in China, Where Red Pandas Live (1)Red panda

Red pandas (or lesser pandas) are an anomaly among animals: they havelong, fluffy striped tailslike a raccoon, and faces and diets that resemble a giant panda's, but they clean themselves like a cat. However, they are not raccoons, bears, or cats — they are the only living species in a genus of their own (Ailuridae, misnamed using the ancient Greek for 'cat').

  • Chinese: 小熊猫 xiǎoxióngmāo /sshyaoww-sshyong-maow/ 'small bear-cat'
  • Appearance: raccoon-like, with reddish-brown fur
  • Size: around 50 cm (20 in)
  • Weight: around 5 kg (11 lb)
  • Life expectancy: 8–10 years
  • Distribution: Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, China

Recommended tours:

  • 1-Day Dujiangyan Panda Keeper Program Tour
  • 1-Day Chengdu Panda and Sichuan Cuisine Tour
  • 4-Day Wolong In-Depth Panda Tour

Red Pandas Characteristics

The Red Pandas in China, Where Red Pandas Live (2)

Appearance — Like a Reddish-Brown Raccoon

Red pandas look like a big domestic cat in shape. The main color of their fur is reddish-brown with white patches on the face. They have a long, thick reddish-brown tails with six yellow rings.

Size and Weight…

Adult red pandas grow up to 64 cm (25 in) long in the body. Their tails range widely in length: 28–59 cm (11–23 in). Males weigh up to 6.2 kg (13.7 lb), females only slightly less.

Behavior

Red pandas arenocturnal animals, spending their days sleeping in trees and foraging for food at night. After waking up, they clean their reddish-brown fur just like a cat, licking their paws and rubbing parts of their body. After his morning bath, a male marks his territory.

Distribution

Red pandas are found in the southern Himalayan foothills, fromIndia to China and as far south as Myanmar. In China, they live mainly in the southwestern provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan, as well as Tibet. The red panda has been found as far east as Shaanxi Province. Though not native to North America, fossil remains have even been found in Tennessee.

Habitat

Red pandas thrive in moderate climates and like woodsy, mountainous locations where temperatures rarely go above 25°C (77°F). Red pandas prefer altitudes between 2,000 and 4,000 meters (7,000–13,000 feet).

Diet

Though not related to the giant panda, red pandas also eat a lot of bamboo (about 2/3 of their diet), because their digestive systems cannot absorb the cellulose. Red pandas also eat small mammals, grubs, fruits, eggs, tender grasses, flowers, and insects.

The Red Panda Population Is on the Decline

Red pandas are not as abundant as they used to be. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has red-listed them as being vulnerable to extinction as the number of red pandas in the wild is decreasing. The IUCN estimates there are only about10,000 red pandas left in the wild, but because red pandas are only active at night, it is difficult to get a firm count.

A major reason for the decreasing red panda population is loss of habitat due to people moving into their living areas. The ever-growing human population means a decrease in living space for the red pandas. Poaching and hunting also threaten red pandas in China and Myanmar.

Raccoon Dog, Raccoon, or Red Panda?

The Red Pandas in China, Where Red Pandas Live (3) Red pandas have black legs and eye patches like giant pandas.

When you see pictures of the red panda, you will find it looks like a raccoon or a raccoon dog. The simplest way to distinguish them is their black legs.

Raccoon dogs are light brown and have black rims to their eyes, but no ringed tail or black legs. They are of the dog family, most closely related to foxes.

Raccoons have black eye rims and ringed tails, and can even have reddish fur, but not as reddish-brown as red pandas'. They don't have black legs. They are of the same superfamily as the red panda, but a different family.

Red pandas have black legs and eye patches like giant pandas, but otherwise look quite different. Red pandas share a superfamily with the skunks, weasels, and raccoons; separate from the giant pandas, in the bear family.

Recommended tours:

  • 3-Day Giant Panda, Giant Buddha, and Ancient Town Tour
  • 5-Day Chengdu, Leshan and Mount. Emei Tour

Contact us for a private tour of Leshan and Mount Emei.

See Red Pandas in China

Most zoos in China have red pandas, making it easy for you to see them. When you visit giant pandas you can also see the lovely red pandas. Read more on The Best Places to See Giant Pandas in China.

If you are interested in the cute "pandas", red or giant, the best places are around Chengdu — "pandas' hometown". See our Chengdu tours, or we can help you tailor-make a tour to see them.

The Red Pandas in China, Where Red Pandas Live (2024)

FAQs

The Red Pandas in China, Where Red Pandas Live? ›

The red panda once ranged over the Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Qinghai, Gansu, and Shanxi. However, it has since become extinct in these regions and is now found only in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. There are an estimated 14,000 square miles of suitable habitat left in China for red pandas.

Where do red pandas live where do red pandas live? ›

Red pandas live in high-altitude, temperate forests with bamboo understories in the Himalayas and other high mountains. They range from northern Myanmar (Burma) to the west Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces of China.

How many red pandas are left in the world in 2024? ›

Endangered. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 and as few as 2,500 red pandas remaining in the wild.

Where in China do pandas live? ›

Giant pandas live in a few mountain ranges in south central China, in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. They once lived in lowland areas, but farming, forest clearing and other development now restrict giant pandas to the mountains.

How many red pandas are left? ›

There are estimated to be around 2500 to 10,000 red pandas left in the wild, worldwide! This makes the red panda classified as an endangered species.

Is it hot where red pandas live? ›

Red pandas have an optimal temperature range of 63-77℉ (17-25℃). Once the temperature exceeds that threshold, it can affect red pandas. The typical habitat of red pandas tends to be cooler overall, but during summer months, their temperature limits are tested.

Will the red panda go extinct? ›

Red pandas are endangered and are legally protected in India, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Myanmar. Their primary threats are habitat loss and degradation, human interference and poaching. Only 1000 individuals of them remain in the wild, in South East Asia.

How many red pandas are dying each year? ›

Approximately 4,900 Red Panda individuals were lost between the years of 2001 and 2016, almost one third of the original population. Overall, on average around 300 individuals are lost annually, should the current population decline continue the species could be extinct by 2065 if not earlier.

How many babies do red pandas have? ›

After a gestation period of 90 to 145 days, the female gives birth to a litter of one to four, usually one or two young.

Is a red panda a bear? ›

Red pandas were first described in 1825 as members of the raccoon family, because they have similar skulls, teeth and ringed tails. Later, DNA analysis suggested that red pandas might belong in the bear family. However, later genetic research placed red pandas in their own family: Ailuridae.

How long are pandas pregnant? ›

Panda gestation length ranges from 90 to 180 days, with an average pregnancy lasting 135 days. This wide variation in gestation occurs because the fertilized egg usually floats freely in the mother's uterus before it implants and begins developing.

Do pandas have tails? ›

Do pandas have tails? Giant pandas do have tails but they are very short and stubby, without much range of movement. Many of the panda's body parts are similarly lacking in expressive abilities.

Are red pandas baby? ›

Red pandas typically give birth to litters of one to four cubs after a gestation period of about 134 days. Cubs stay in the nest for about 90 days and remain close to their mothers until the next mating season. They reach adult size at about 12 months.

How lazy are red pandas? ›

Their bamboo heavy diet is one reason that red pandas are well-known for being lazy, as bamboo's high fibre, low nutrient concentration means they have to eat a large amount to get all the energy they need, so they will conserve energy by lazing around!

Where do red pandas sleep? ›

In the wild, the red panda prefers a solitary and nocturnal lifestyle. It is mainly active during the twilight period and until the early hours of the morning. During daylight hours, they can be found resting or snoozing above the ground, lying dangled or curled up on tree branches depending on the weather.

How old is the oldest red panda? ›

He was reported to be 24 years old when he died in 2015. Any red panda in captivity that surpasses the age of 12 is considered remarkable, and so that's why it was so incredible that he lived to the age of 21. Taylor would have been 22 this June.

Are red pandas friendly to humans? ›

They like to be by themselves, and this includes avoiding humans too! Due to this lifestyle they generally don't like being touched, so despite looking like you should be able to pick them up and give them a cuddle, this is not the case!

Do red pandas eat meat? ›

Red pandas belong to the order Carnivora, but this has more to do with their biological classification than their actual diet. In reality they rarely eat meat, instead using their powerful molars to grind through up to four pounds of bamboo a day. They also sometimes eat fruit, acorns, roots, eggs, rodents, and birds.

What eats a red panda? ›

Snow leopards are carnivores and eat red pandas, artic fox and other mammals. Snow Leopard. Red Panda VS Snow Leopard - Smart Wild.

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