![]() ![]() Because they retained the digestive system of a carnivore, a red panda has to eat 20 to 30 percent of their body weight in bamboo each day. To manage their new grassy diet, red pandas gained adaptations, including an elongated wrist bone used to grasp bamboo when feeding called a pseudothumb. “But somewhere along the way, they decided bamboo doesn't run away, it's always green, it's a big grass, you can always find it-I'm going to find a way to make this work.” “Biologically, they're a carnivore, they have teeth designed for ripping and shredding,” says Sarah Glass, the curator for red pandas at Zoo Knoxville. Because red pandas descended from a shared ancestor with other carnivores, they share cat-like facial features and teeth, but they switched to a bamboo-based diet more than two million of years ago. The term carnivore refers to their biological order, not their dietary preference. Though red pandas are carnivores, they rarely eat meat. Red pandas and giant pandas share a modified wrist bone that acts like a thumb to help them grasp bamboo when feeding. Chinese red pandas typically have a redder face and more distinguished tail rings, and Himalayan red pandas tend to be smaller and have lighter-colored fur. Recent genetic studies suggest two distinct species of red panda: the Chinese red panda ( Ailurus styani) and the Himalayan red panda ( Ailurus fulgens). The term "panda" is believed to be derived from the Nepalese words "nigalya ponya" which translates to "bamboo eater." That makes red pandas the only “true” panda. But the latest research has placed red pandas in their own taxonomic family, Ailuridae, while giant pandas belongs to the Ursidae, or bear family. Western scientists described red pandas 50 years before giant pandas, and named the black-and-white bear after the smaller red panda because of their shared characteristics, like a taste for bamboo and a bonus digit called a pseudothumb. While the two animals share a name and favorite food, they’re not closely related. Like giant pandas, red pandas are a bamboo-munching species native to high forests of Asia. Red pandas are the only living member of the family Ailuridae. On the occasion of the film's debut, here are eight fascinating details about these elusive animals: They Are the Only “True” Panda The movie, in truth a metaphor for adolescent pubescence and angst, comes out today on Disney+. Now, Disney’s recent release of the movie Turning Red, which tells the story of a Meilin "Mei" Lee, a 13-year-old girl who transforms into a big red panda when she feels big emotions, is likely to also spark a new wave of interest in the endangered animal. By taking a DNA sample from a red panda rescued from the black market, conservationists can learn where the animals are being taken from.Red pandas' adorable fluffy faces and hilarious hijinks make them fodder for all sorts of viral internet cuteness. Other organizations are using high-tech methods to track poachers. These panda pals keep watch over the red pandas in Nepal, replant bamboo, and help paying tourists observe them without disturbing the creatures. For instance, the Red Panda Network hires local people to be forest guardians. And their adorableness might put them in more danger, since they’re ideal targets for the illegal pet trade. Their forest homes are being cut down, and poachers hunt them for their fur. ![]() The move gives their curved claws a better angle to hang on to the bark. How? They rotate their ankles 180 degrees-that’s like being able to turn your foot backward. And they scamper down tree trunks headfirst. About the only time red pandas go to the ground is to, um, go. Their reddish coats and white face markings provide camouflage in the red-brown moss and white lichen of trees where they live. Spending time in trees is how these animals avoid predators, such as snow leopards. ![]() If a red panda starts to lean in one direction, it can swing its tail the opposite way to steady itself. While they can’t exactly extend their arms like an acrobat to keep their balance, they can use their tails. They even have a special thumb-like wrist bone that helps them get an extra grip when climbing. In fact, red pandas have adapted so well to life in the trees that they’re famous for their incredible acrobatic skills. Watch him grow and thrive under the care of his keepers. Farley, a young red panda, has been through a lot in his short life. ![]()
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