Red Panda - Ailurus fulgens - by Ryanne Browers

Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)

Description and Ecology 

Red pandas are slightly larger than a domestic cat weighing between 6.6 to 13.2 pounds for females and 8.2 to 13.7 pounds for males.   Red pandas are around 22 to 24.6 inches long.  They have a tail that can measure between 14.6 and 18.6 inches long which is used for balance and as a cover in the winter which some biologists believe is for warmth.   The majority of their body is a red-brown color but their belly/limbs are black and there are white markings on their head.   Primarily a herbivore, their diet mainly consists of bamboo and other low-nutrient plants; red pandas can spend up to 13 hours a day looking for bamboo.  Red pandas gain most of their nutrients from insects and other small organisms which means that in the winter red pandas lose up to 15% of their body weight when these food sources are not easily accessed.  They have a very slow metabolic rate almost as slow as sloths which can becoming even slower in colder temperatures. 

Red panda sleeping, courtesy of http://pcwallart.com/red-panda-sleeping-in-a-tree-wallpaper-2.html

Red Pandas are traditionally found in the Eastern Himalayas and other high mountains ranging from India to China.  They live in high altitude temperate forests with bamboo under stories and are very solitary creatures.   Exceptions to this are cubs who spend over a year with their mother and near the breeding season between January and March.   Breeding occurs on the ground and males in the wild are not involved in raising the cubs (usually 2 per litter).

Mother red panda with her cub, courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda#/media/File:Dortmund-Zoo-Kleiner_Panda151930.jpg

Having a range of one square mile per female and up to two square miles for males, information is passed between red pandas through anal glands and urine.  They also have scent glands located on the bottom of red pandas’ paws to mark their territory.  Although they are also considered to be fairly silent creatures, they do make a whistling-like call to communicate occasionally. 

Red panda call, courtesy of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrVc5utGl7w

Red pandas have no closely related living species with their nearest fossil ancestors (Parailurus) having lived three to four million years ago.   Despite their name, they have no relation to the Giant Panda; researchers believe the name was derived from the Nepali word ‘ponya’ which means bamboo or plant eating animal.   Red pandas were originally placed into the raccoon family (Procyonidae) then the bear family (Ursidae) before being placed in their own independent family (Ailuridae).

There are two subspecies of red pandas.  Ailurus fulgens fulgens is found in Nepal, northeaster India (West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachala Pradesh), Bhutan, and a part of China.  Ailurus fulgens styani is found only in China and northern Myanmar.  This subspecies is considered to have longer fur, darker coloration, and larger than the a. f. fulgens subspecies.

Difference in subspecies coloration, courtesy of http://svet-biologije.com/zanimljivosti/zanimljivosti-iz-zoologije/crveni-panda/

Geographic and Population Changes

Current projections claim that there are around 2,500 adult red pandas left in the wild, with a total of 10,000 individuals worldwide.   The total population of red pandas has decreased by around 50% over the last few decades.   The image below shows the historic range of this species from India to China.      

Historic range of red pandas, courtesy of http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=714

Over the last few years, the range has severely decreased for red pandas.  In an unprecedented report conducted by Nepal in 2015, showed that there is urgent need to protect the habitat of red pandas.   The image below is from the study, which highlights habitat potential within Nepal.  The report found that only 17% of all potential habitats have a very high suitability (shown in red) for red pandas.   Only 7% of this habitat is occupied by red pandas.  It was also noted that a majority of the habitat occurs near Nepal's borders, meaning that the population will relocate outside of Nepal if current trends continue.

Map showing habitat suitability in Nepal for red pandas, courtesy of https://redpandazine.com/2017/10/26/first-large-scale-red-panda-study-in-nepal/

Listing Date and Type of Listing

Since  1994, red pandas have been posted on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as a vulnerable species.  Since then, red pandas have gone between the vulnerable and endangered classification.   The latest assessment conducted in 2015 classified red pandas as an endangered species.   

Cause of Listing and Main Threats to its Continued Existence

The primary threats red pandas face are habitat loss and degradation, human interference ad poaching, and climate change and increasing natural disasters. Habitat loss is primarily due to the logging industry, human encroachment, and farming.   Increase of human populations throughout Asia is directly related to habitat degradation.  Increases in human populations increases the number of grazing livestock which damages the existing habitat as these animals compete with red pandas for bamboo and large portions of forests are cut down to create new grazing pastures.  This habitat fragmentation causes inbreeding populations as isolation between groups increases.  Additionally, domesticated animals such as dogs can hunt or transmit diseases to red pandas. 

Deforestation in Nepal, courtesy of http://simplebooklet.com/publish.php?wpKey=JmcPc0dbHjdJZQCW6g6GIq#page=16

Poaching and the illegal pet trade of red pandas has reportedly been increasing over the last few decades, contributing to the population decline.  In the last few years, the reported number of pet red pandas in Nepal and India have greatly increased through the illegal pet trade.  Red pandas are also hunted for their unique pelt, which are then made into fur capes and hats.  It is also becoming more common for red pandas to be caught in snare traps set for other animals such as deer and wild pigs.  While governments of India, Bhutan, China, Nepal, and Myanmar legally protect this animal there is limited investment of red panda conservation by local governments. 

Climate change and increasing natural disasters also have large impacts on wild red panda populations.  As red pandas prefer to live in colder, higher altitude environments global warming is decreasing their possible habitats.  In addition, other natural disasters such as fire have become more frequent in Nepal which can prematurely kill large number of red pandas.  

Description of Recovery Plan

There currently is a Global Species Management Plan (GSMP) for red pandas in zoos worldwide.  The goals of the GSMP is to provide a demographically and genetically sustainable backup population for the wild population for protentional supplementation or reintroduction programs, raise awareness for the red panda, and provide financial, technical, scientific, and other support to the planning and implementation of red panda conservation. 

Additional conservation actions fall into four main categories:

1.      Protection against habitat loss:

This will be done through the improvement and management of red panda habitats, improving connectivity (including international borders), promoting sustainable development with minimal impact on red panda habitat, increasing the areas under protection, implementation of better Environmental Impact Assessment for all development programs, and making legal provision for the declaration of red panda community conversation areas. 

2.      Reduction of habitat degradation:

This will be achieved through the restoration of degraded habitats, replanting of bamboo, regulation of tourism by the use of entry permits, creation of restricted-access zones in core areas for red pandas during breeding season, education and promotion of community engagement on the protection of red panda habitats, providing sustainable livelihoods, using native species and agriculture systems, improved firefighting capabilities, and strengthened resource management.

3.      Reduction of red panda deaths:

This will be accomplished through the strengthening of law enforcement and improved physical protection, enhancement of trans-boundary cooperation, strengthen the connection between stakeholders, creation of reward and punishment system for the community and forest departments, establishment of anti-poaching staff, reintroduction of captive-bred individuals, formulation of dog management plan to control local dog populations, and engagement of army personnel in border bases to keep their dogs out of red panda areas.

4.      Improved awareness:

This will be managed through the design and implementation of a dedicated program using radio, pamphlets, posters, and documentary films along with securing adequate funding, improving conservation education with a focus on red pandas in schools, establishing/strengthening Green Force Club, implementing red panda research programs, identifying priority research topics, and development of a trans-national ‘Project Red Panda’

 

Red pandas playing in the snow, courtesy of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSehQsYU9h4

What Can You Do?

Spread Awareness of this animal!  Many researchers believe that a main reason this species is at risk is due to the lack of international awareness of the species.

The Red Panda Network is a San Francisco-based non profit who is committed to the conservation of wild red pandas through the local communities.  This is done in several ways through their website.  

     One: for as little as five dollars a month you can symbolically adopt a red panda and the money spent will be used to promote the well-being of the animal.  

     Two: you can donate money to a local family who has made it their goal to protect wild red pandas.  

     Three: you can take an ecotrip through the Red Panda Network to Nepal to see red pandas in their natural habitat; all proceeds will help fund conservation.

     Four: you can sign up for their newsletter to receive updates on red panda conservation.  

More information can be found at their website https://redpandanetwork.org/

Other Resources:

Here is a link to a complied list of resources (courtesy of the Red Panda Network) including videos and documentaries, magazine articles, scientific reports,  and other important sites relating to red pandas. 

Red panda looking amused, courtesy of http://www.tehcute.com/red-panda-is-very-amused.html

Sources

Text:

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/red-panda

https://redpandanetwork.org/red_panda/about-the-red-panda/

https://redpandazine.com/2017/10/26/first-large-scale-red-panda-study-in-nepal/

http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/red-panda

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/714/0

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/red-panda

Images/Media:

http://pcwallart.com/red-panda-sleeping-in-a-tree-wallpaper-2.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda#/media/File:Dortmund-Zoo-Kleiner_Panda151930.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrVc5utGl7w

http://svet-biologije.com/zanimljivosti/zanimljivosti-iz-zoologije/crveni-panda/

http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=714

https://redpandazine.com/2017/10/26/first-large-scale-red-panda-study-in-nepal/

http://simplebooklet.com/publish.php?wpKey=JmcPc0dbHjdJZQCW6g6GIq#page=16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSehQsYU9h4
http://www.tehcute.com/red-panda-is-very-amused.html