The Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
The red panda is a very unique animal. These animals usually grow to about the size of a house cat, but their big, bushy tails add an additional 18 inches in length. It feeds mostly on bamboo but is also considered to be omnivorous. This means that it also eats eggs, birds, insects, and small mammals. They weigh between 7 and 14 pounds and their red-and-white markings blend in with the red mosses and white lichens that grow on the trees in where they live. With all of their excellent traits, it is clear that we need to save the red panda.
Relatives to the Red Panda
Despite popular belief, the red panda is not related to the giant panda. The giant panda is a member of the bear family, while the exact relatives of the red panda are unknown. The red panda is a part of it's own family, the Ailuridae family. Although it is not sure who the actual relatives are of the red panda, the red panda seems to be very closely related to animals like raccoons and kinkajous. Many of their similarities include that they are all nocturnal, good climbers, and all omnivores (although the red panda's diet consists mostly of bamboo). Also, the red panda has a few homologous structures with humans. For example, they both have four chambered hearts and three middle ear bones just to name a few.
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