International Red Panda Day - 20th September🐾😍

Mary_Scope

This day happens every year on the third Saturday of September and it is a time to celebrate one of my favourite animals……the red panda!

You may have seen some news about red panda's recently in the media as the Bristol Zoo Project celebrated the birth of a red panda kit to first time parents Neora and Laya back in July!!

The birth is a a huge win for this highly threatened specie as they are classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). There are thought to be as few as 2,500 individuals left in the wild due to habitat loss and poaching. This day also aims to raise awareness about protecting red pandas and preserving their natural habitats.

Here are some fun facts about these furry creatures that look cross between a racoon, a fox and a cat but also a bit like a bear cub…

• They are often called the “firefox” due to their reddish brown fur and ringed bushy tails
• Red pandas were named nearly 50 years before giant pandas and are not closely related to them. They belong to their own unique family called Ailuridae and are more closely related to raccoons, skunks and weasels!!
• Red pandas are expert climbers as they have sharp, semi-retractable claws and a special wrist bone that acts like a sixth finger for gripping branches. They can even rotate their ankles which allows them to climb down trees headfirst which is a rare ability among mammals
• Red pandas are crepuscular which mean they're most active at dawn and dusk. They rest in tree branches during the day and forage in the cooler evenings which helps them avoid heat and potential predators
• Red pandas have thumb-like appendages (similar to giant pandas) which help them grasp bamboo and they also eat fruits, roots, grasses, acorns, lichens, insects, bird eggs and small mammals

66Mustang

So cute!!!!!!

Do you know how many there are in total? Do the 2,500 in the wild represent the majority of the total population?

Rachel_Scope

Red pandas are just too cute! Definitely one of my favourite animals. I've been lucky to see one in real life. @66Mustang I had a look and apparently there are less than 10,000 red pandas in the world.

66Mustang

That's interesting @Rachel_Scope. I was wondering what the proportion was of captivity vs. wild ones. Is it normal for an endangered animal to have several times the wild population in captivity? It's sad but I guess it seems logical in a way and it keeps them surviving

Rachel_Scope

I'm not really sure. As you say, it's logical to have some in captivity as it will help prevent them becoming extinct.

66Mustang

@Rachel_Scope

I more meant logical in the sense that it makes sense for the proportions to naturally end up that way if they're vulnerable in the wild; as opposed to some conscious intent to keep a certain proportion in captivity

Though I guess your point about doing it on purpose would make sense if those who decided to do it were considering the long term survival of a species over short term independence of the current generations

Amberpearl

I love panda s too

Today is my daughters birthday

34 today

Rachel_Scope

Ah I see @66Mustang. Hopefully we can keep them from going extinct. It's sad that we're in this position in the first place.

Happy birthday to your daughter @Amberpearl! I hope she has a lovely day.

I saw a red panda plush keyring the other day and I really wish I'd bought it now. You can never have enough keyrings 😂