R E D  P A N D A S, A i l u r u s  f u l g e n s

Adult red pandas weigh between 7 to 13 pounds and are 22 to 24.5 inches in length, with an additional 11 to 19 inches for the length of its tail. They have long, coarse guard hairs that covers the entire length of its body as well as their soft, dense undercoat. Their rustic colored fur covers their body with the exception of their white ears, cheeks, muzzle, and the markings above their eyes. The red panda also has a dark underside and a bushy tail that alternates between light and dark colored rings.

 

Their large, relatively round head consists of their dark eyes and noses, and pointed triangular shaped ears. A reddish brown stripe extends from each of their eyes to the corners of their mouth. Their snout, though short, is a prominent feature on its face. White whiskers can also be seen on the red pandas. Their powerful jaws is equipped with board teeth that accommodates their bamboo diet.

 

The fore and hind limbs of the red pandas are of similar length. They also have dense hair that covers the soles of their feet. The red panda has five toes that are widely spread apart and semi-retractable claws that aids in climbing. Their ankles are extremely flexible and has the ability to rotate around which helps control their downward movement.  They also share the giant pandas’ false thumb that has been co-opted into a function that aids in bamboo feeding.

 

Red pandas also has no sexual dimorphism. This means that there are no differences in the appearance of the males and females of this species.