Homepage

Common Names:

English- Red Panda, Lesser Panda, Red Cat-Bear, Fire Fox, Fox Bear, and Himalayan Raccoon (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)

Burma – Kyaung-wun (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)

China – Chu-chieh-liang and Xia xong mao (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)

Central Nepal – Hobrey (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)

French – Panda éclatant and Petit panda (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)

Spanish – Panda chico and Panda rojo (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021)

Throughout my research, I have noticed that the English common name "Red Panda" is most often used in reference of Ailurus fulgens.

Scientific Name:

Ailurus fulgens (Glatston et al., 2015)

The scientific nomenclature and description referring to the Red Panda was first published in 1825 by Frédéric Cuvier (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). He chose Ailurus fulgens because it refers to the fire-colored, cat-like appearance of the red panda in Latin (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021).

Population Status:

Populations of the Red Panda are currently decreasing (Glatston et al., 2015). As of the 2015 assessment, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed the Red Panda under Endangered status (Glatston et al., 2015).

The Red Panda is a midsized arboreal mammal that dwells in the forests and shrublands of the eastern Himalayas and southwest China (Glatston et al., 2015; MOL: Map of Life, n.d.). Although only distantly related, the Red Panda enjoys an herbivorous diet of mainly bamboo like the Giant Panda (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). Its diet is peculiar because morphologically and taxonomically, the Red Panda is considered a carnivorous mammal like the Giant Panda (MOL: Map of Life, n.d.; San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021).

The Red Panda is important to protect because it is the last living member of its family—Ailuridae— and genus— Ailurus (Glatston et al., 2015; San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library, 2021). As a member of a monospecific family, the Red Panda's conservation should be prioritized (Glatston et al., 2015). Because the Red Panda prefers isolation, there is insufficient research to determine a completely accurate estimate of the number left in the wild (Glatston et al., 2015). However, the IUCN showed prioritization of the conservation of the Red Panda by giving it an endangered status instead of a vulnerable status (Glatston et al., 2015). By preserving this animal, we can continue to learn about the biological history of it and its relatives without being forced to rely on fossil evidence (Glatston et al., 2015).