Animals On Earth: India, Asia, China, Hawaii, And Madagascar

Red Panda

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China.

Phylogenetically, the red panda falls under a unique taxonomic group called Ailuridae, sharing common traits with mustelids, which includes racoons, weasels and skunks. Giant pandas are classified under a separate, distant taxonomic family of bears called Ursidae.

Red pandas feed mainly on leaves and bamboo, but occasionally snack on fruit, insects, bird eggs and small lizards, too.

The primary predator of the red panda is thought to be the snow leopard and occasionally martens. Cubs may be hunted by birds of prey and other small carnivores.

Are red pandas dangerous? Red pandas are not dangerous animals, but they do have aggressive tendencies. When a red panda stands on its hind legs and raises its arms, it displays a defensive stance and may attack the threat with its claws and teeth.