Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens
Weight: 3-6kg.
Habitat: It
lives in montane/subalpine temperate forests with
a bamboo understory, at altitudes between 1500
and 4000m.
Age to Maturity: Approximately 18 months.
Gestation Period: Averages 131 days.
Birth Season: June - July.
Birth Rate: 1-4, usually 2 young per litter.
Maximum Age: 17.5 years (captivity). Generally captive animals don't
live longer than 8-10 years.
Diet: It
almost exclusively eats bamboo (mostly leaves, supplemented in Spring with bamboo shoots). They sometimes supplement their diet
during summer with fruits.
Threats: The
major threats confronting them are loss and fragmentation of habitat due to
deforestation for timber, fuel and agricultural land; poaching for the pet
and fur trades; and competition from domestic livestock.
