red panda
Ailurus fulgens fulgens
The red panda feeds mainly on bamboo and other plants. An extended wrist bone, which functions like a real thumb, forms a sixth finger. This allows the animal to easily strip leaves from bamboo and better grasp fruits.
To drink, the red panda dips its paw into a puddle or stream and then licks the water off its paw. It grooms its fur like a cat. With the licked, moist paws he "washes" his fur. The rearing of the young is also peculiar. The red panda builds a nest like a bird. After birth, the young remain in it for up to three months.
| Related to | Carnivores, "dog-like" carnivorans, red panda (2 subspecies) |
| Habitat | Evergreen forests with bamboo and rhododendron up to the tree line at 4000 meters above sea level |
| Mode of life | Crepuscular and nocturnal, foraging in trees, rarely on the ground |
| Social structure | Solitary, rarely in pairs or small groups |
| Diet | Bamboo, acorns, berries, eggs, small birds |
| Weight | Females up to 4.5 kg, males up to 6 kg, newborns 110 to 130 g |
| Head-torso length | 60 cm |
| Shoulder height | 28 cm |
| Tail length | 55 cm |
| Gestation time | 112 - 158 days |
| Litter size | 1 to 2 young, rarely up to 4 young, altriciality |
| Age of sexual maturity | After 18 months |
| Life expectancy | Up to 15 years |
| Utilization | Fur for caps (China) |
| Population trend | Less than 10'000 animals, divided into two subspecies |
| At Zurich Zoo since | 1954, internationally coordinated breeding (EEP) |
Distribution
Sponsors
| A. Böni, Zürich | |
| S. Günther, Küsnacht | |
| A. Bretscher + D. Müller, Möhlin | |
| in memoriam Margrith Brändli | |
| H. Peyer, Kloten | |
| D. Gygax, Oetwil an der Limmat | |
| M. Trachsler, Zürich | |
| S. Peyer, Zürich | |
| A. Aeschlimann + M. Studer, Dornach | |
| A. + M. Pauli, Oberhasli |
