Species Fact Sheet Red Panda Ailurus fulgens fulgens

John Ball Zoo Habitat – Red Panda Habitat  Constructed in by our Facilities staff in 2017 and located in the Forest Realm  Similar to in-floor heating of a house, the habitat is equipped with platforms and poles that have water running thru to cool/heat those areas.  An additional outdoor enclosed/netted space will be added in the future to allow for overnight outdoor access  Trees are equipped with metal collars so they cannot climb past a certain point and habitat perimeter is designed to prevent climbing. Individual Animals – 1 male 1 female  Wyatt (male) born 6/21/2012 at the Bronx Zoo o Arrived from Chattanooga Zoo (2017) o He sired 2 cubs in 2016  Wasabi (female) born 7/3/2016 at Oklahoma City Zoological Park o Arrived from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo on February 27, 2018 Species - Ailurus fulgens fulgens Life Expectancy  Average at AZA institutions: 10.0 years  Oldest recorded at AZA institutions: 23.4 years  Wild: 8-10 years Statistics  Weight – 8-14lbs  Length –22-25 inches with tails from 14-18 inches long Diet – Omnivore  Wild – Berries, blossoms, bird eggs, bamboo leaves, birds and small vertebrates o Bamboo constitutes 85 to 95 percent of the red panda's diet  Zoo –Bamboo leaves (8ft stick in one day), leaf eater biscuits, vegetables Predators  Snow Leopard, dholes, and martens Habitat  Temperate climates (preferred range: 50°-77°) in deciduous and coniferous forests. Region  Himalayan mountains between 2,200 and 4,800 meters in northern Burma, Nepal, Sikkim region of India, and the districts of western Sichuan and Yunnan in China. Reproduction  Sexually mature around 18 months  Mating season is Winter  Gestation is about 4.4 months and all births take place between 4 PM and 9 AM

Updated: 7/7/2019

Species Fact Sheet Red Panda Ailurus fulgens fulgens

 Adult red pandas rarely interact with each other outside of mating season. During mating season scent-markings increase. Males leave their scent by urinating or rubbing their anogenital area on trees. Both males and females may mate with more than one partner in a season. Adaptations  Modified wrist bone that acts as a sixth digit or thumb bone for grabbing bamboo stems.  Have semi-retractable claws  Red pandas are generally quiet, but at close proximity subtle vocalizations such as squeals, twitters and huff-quacks can be heard. They may also hiss or grunt o Young cubs use a whistle, which sounds like a loud scream, to signal distress o In significantly cold temperatures, red pandas can become dormant, lowering their metabolic rate and raising it every few hours to wake up and look for food. o This adaptation has allowed them to spend almost as little energy as a sloth, which is exceptionally beneficial considering the low nutrition content of their diet. Interesting Facts  Westerners often think of the Red Panda as the original Panda because they first described it in 1821, 48 years before the giant panda. o Both the Red and Giant Panda were described in ancient Chinese writings.  Despite sharing a name, red pandas are not closely related to giant pandas. They are much smaller and have no close living relatives. However, like giant pandas, they are bamboo eaters native to the high forests of Asia.  One local Chinese name for the red panda is hunho or firefox, due to their color and similar size to a fox. The web browser “Firefox” is named after them.  The origin of the name “Panda” derives from a Nepalese word for red panda – “Nigalya poonya”- which means “eater of bamboo.  Red pandas are the only species of their kind in the world. Their conservation is central to preserving the world’s natural heritage and global biodiversity Conservation Concerns  Habitat loss and fragmentation  Poaching for the pet trade o Some believe there are less than 2,500 adult red pandas left in the wild. Conservation Ask  Support Global and Local Conservation Programs o Join and support conservation organizations . Sponsor a Forest Guardian through the Red Panda Network o Become a member, return visit, make purchase . John Ball Zoo participate in the Red Panda Species Survival Plan.

Status: Endangered

Updated: 7/7/2019