Here is a little treat for all you who love cute little animals. 33 hi res photos of red pandas, these little critters are so adorable you just want to cuddle them.
The red panda which is also known as the lesser panda and red cat-bear, is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has been classified as an edangered species and has an estimated wild population of less than 10,000. The population continues to decline and is threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and inbreeding depression, although red pandas are protected by national laws in their range countries.
The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat. It has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs. It feeds mainly on bamboo, but is omnivorous and also eats eggs, birds, insects, and small mammals. It is a solitary animal, mainly active from dusk to dawn, and is largely sedentary during the day.
The red panda is the only living species of the genus Ailurus and the family Ailuridae. It has been previously placed in the raccoon and bear families, but results of phylogenetic research indicate strong support for its taxonomic classification in its own family Ailuridae, which along with the weasel family is part of the superfamily Musteloidea.
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