Red Panda

The red panda is a raccoon-like animal, similar in size to a large cat, with thick, reddish-brown fur. Like the giant panda, the red panda has a sixth digit near the wrist that aids in eating. The long, bushy tail has rings of red and yellow. Red pandas are found on steep mountains in western China and in the Tibetan Himalayas. They live in pairs and small groups in bamboo forests, on which they feed. They are nocturnal, sleeping in trees during the day. In the past the red panda has been classified in the raccoon family and the bear family. More recently some scientists place the red panda in the family Ailuridae, which is separate from both the raccoon and bear families.