Red Panda Picture

In a Red Panda picture, you’ll see a curious-looking animal that combines some characteristics of a bear, raccoon, and the Giant Panda. The Red Panda is also called the Lesser Panda; its scientific name is Ailurus fulgens, which means “shining cat.” These animals are about the size of a domestic cat. Their body length is about 40-60 cm (or 80-120 cm including the tail) and the weight is up to 6 kg.

In the Red Panda picture galleries, you can see that these animals have a long reddish-brown fur on the head and back. Their lower parts are blackish. The face of the Red Panda has white badges, making them look like raccoons. Each animal has its own distinctive markings. The ears of the Red Panda are triangular and upright; the nose and the eyes are very dark. The tail of these creatures is long and bushy. It has six alternating yellowish rings. The legs of the Red Panda are short; the soles of the paws are covered with fur to hide their scent glands and protect from cold.

Red Pandas are found in southeastern Asia, sharing their habitat with Giant Pandas. They inhabit highlands, foothills, and forests of Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, and India. These animals prefer moderate temperature with little annual fluctuation. Red Pandas can be seen at the altitudes as high as 4,800 meters. When searching for Red Panda picture galleries, you’ll also find fact sheets and articles about this species. Scientists don’t agree about the classification of the Red Panda. While some specialists place this species into its own family Ailuridae, others believe that these animals are close relatives to bears and belong to the Ursidae family. Red Pandas are only distantly related to Giant Pandas. Their common ancestor traces back to millions of years.

Like Giant Pandas, Red Pandas rely on bamboo like their primary food source. To grasp bamboo stems, Red Pandas have an extended wrist bone that acts like a thumb. The Red Panda is crepuscular, which means feeding mostly at night, dawn, and dusk. In the daytime, Red Pandas droop high in the trees. In Red Panda picture galleries, you’ll probably see these animals with bamboo shoots in their paws.