A Small endangered animal: red panda

BY PARNIKA VAID GRADE:8TH

THEIR APPEARENCE• Their roundish head has medium size, upright

ears, a black nose, very dark eyes: almost pitch black, their long bushy tail with six alternating yellowish red transverse

• SIZE : the head and body length of red of pandas averages 56 to 63 cm and their tails about 37 to 47 cm. Males weigh 3.7 to 6.2 kg and females 4.2 to 6.0 kg

THEIR LIFESTYLE

• Although complete information on these scarce creatures is not documented, certain facts are known. Adults lead solitary lives. However this endangered species has been observed to be more social prior to reproduction cycles.

• They are active from dusk to dawn and their primary habitat is above the ground in trees. In fact they breed and sleep in trees. A major characteristic is the ability to traverse tree branches easily.

• These pandas like to eat, clean themselves, mate, and sleep. Life style of this animal includes a lot of play and mischief. Baby red pandas are energetic from the start.

DIET

• Bamboo is the main diet of the red panda and is abundant in its natural habitat. However it will also eat a variety of other foods such as fruits, nuts, eggs, flowers, and seeds.

• Information from their droppings reveal additional diet facts, such as their taste for other prey such as rodents and small birds.

• Red panda cubs eat bamboo until they are mature enough to expand their diet. Their bamboo ranges are endangered and threaten the life style of this unique species.

THEIR ADAPTATIONS

• Red pandas have many adaptations. First, they have an enlarged wrist bone located on each front paw, which serves as a "thumb." This sixth digit or "thumb" is useful for feeding because it allows the pandas to grasp and hold bamboo tightly.

THEIR HABBITAT

• The red pandas live in Mt. Himalaya of Nepal, India, Bhutan, China and Myanmar (Burma)

• The perfect home for Red Pandas : The red panda’s home is in forest with cool temperature, lots of food such as bamboo and berries. Also plenty shelter for them.

WHY DO THEY NEED SUCH ENVIRONMENT ??

• Red Pandas red and black color camouflages them from their predators. The red on their backs is exactly the same color as moss found on the trees where they live. The black on their stomach makes it difficult to see them from below.

• They live in this forest because its very easy to get the food; bamboo leaves, berries, eggs and roots.

WHAT MAKES THEM ENDANGERED

• Once living in many parts of Asia including greater China, the red panda is now confined to parceled territories that collectively are a fraction of its original habitat. These isolated parcels interfere with feeding, migration, and breeding activities.

• Many facts indicate that reproduction rates are on the decline. The foods it must eat to maintain its lifestyle and reproduction cycle have been reduced by habitat loss, global warming, hunting, and poaching. Their greatest threat is therefore mankind.

• Research facts show many baby red pandas do not survive to adulthood. The red panda is classified as endangered. In fact it is now extinct in several countries according to information from conservation groups.

What I like about this animal

• This animal is very cute and has some features which are rare and the kind of environment they live in is very beautiful and good for any living being . Their existence is not known to many people but still it is endangered because of deforestation . Their muscular , small body helps them to climb anywhere they want and this helps them to survive .

THANK YOU!!