Wildlifeof Bhutan
Western Red Panda
Bears, Dogs & Otters
Photo: Sunuwargr · CC BY-SA 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Ailurus fulgens
Basic stats
Diet
Mainly bamboo shoots and leaves; also fruit and blossoms
Habitat
Bamboo (Yushania and Thamnocalamus), Rhododendron, whitebeam and chinquapin forest
Range
Nepal, Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, northern Myanmar and southern China
Litter size
Up to 4 cubs
Size
Head and body 51–63.5cm; tail 28–48.5cm
The red panda is a small, largely tree-living mammal with dense reddish-brown fur, a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle and a ringed tail. It is solitary and has a head-to-body length of 51 to 63.5cm. Genetic evidence places it in a family of its own, close to raccoons, weasels and skunks (Wikipedia, general species account).
Records in Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh's Pangchen Valley, West Kameng and Shi Yomi districts show that it frequents habitats with Yushania and Thamnocalamus bamboo, medium-sized Rhododendron, whitebeam and chinquapin trees. It feeds mainly on bamboo shoots and leaves, and females give birth to up to four cubs in summer after spring mating. Community-based conservation has been started in Bhutan, Nepal and north-east India.
Quick answers
- What does the Western Red Panda eat?
- Mainly bamboo shoots and leaves; also fruit and blossoms
- What habitat does the Western Red Panda live in?
- Bamboo (Yushania and Thamnocalamus), Rhododendron, whitebeam and chinquapin forest
- Where is the Western Red Panda found?
- Nepal, Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, northern Myanmar and southern China
- What is the litter size of the Western Red Panda?
- Up to 4 cubs
- How big is the Western Red Panda?
- Head and body 51–63.5cm; tail 28–48.5cm