Isn’t that the cutest animal ever?! I love red pandas! (And after learning about them, I know you will too!)
When I first saw a red panda
I remember when I saw a red panda for the first time. It was 2005, and we were on another family adventure to the zoo—my kids and I LOVED going to the zoo! I caught a glimpse of an animal that I had never seen before. Its face was so intriguing! We ran to the exhibit to get a closer look. I pulled out my bulky camera and took two VERY blurry pictures (technology was different back then... haha) as I tried to photograph the animal as it hurried off into the trees.
“What was this wonderful animal?” I whispered.
My kids and I read the information sign: Red Panda.
When not being chased by camera-carrying dads at the zoo, red pandas are graceful and gentle creatures. But they are also shy animals, so you may have a difficult time capturing one on camera at the zoo.
5 Fun Facts about Red Pandas:
Red pandas live in the high-forest mountains of Nepal (where the Himalayas are located), northern Myanmar, and China.
If you see a red panda in the wild, they will be up in the trees, moving along the branches searching for things to eat, such as bamboo leaves and shoots, fruit, and bird eggs.
They have thick, furry coats to keep them warm since they live in the mountains where it is cold most of the year.
The beautiful red coloring of their coat is actually to camouflage themselves! In the mountains where red pandas live, there is a red moss that covers the trees that match their coat and makes it easier to hide from predators.
Red pandas use their long, bushy tails as a nice warm blanket for when it gets really cold or snows. Their tails also help them balance as they climb trees, kind of like monkeys!
BONUS FACT:
The mothers usually have one to four little ones a year, usually in the spring or summer, and they are the cutest babies! (Trust me, they really are adorable!)
Red pandas are endangered, but there's still hope
Sadly, red pandas are an endangered species and close to extinction because their habitat is decreasing from deforestation and poaching. They need our help!
One of the reasons I created Red Panda Books is to give these incredible creatures a future. Red Panda Books will donate 10% of its profits to the Red Panda Network, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the conservation of wild red pandas and their habitat.
Here’s to saving our cute furry friends, the red panda!
Cheers,
Red Panda Books sells personalized children’s adventure books that encourage parents to read with their children and experience adventures together! A portion of the books’ proceeds will be donated to support the Red Panda Network and other organizations that protect endangered species and their habitats.