Examine individual changes

'{{pp-move-indef}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Taxobox | name = Red panda | status = EN | status_system = iucn3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn"/> | image = RedPandaFullBody.JPG | image_caption = | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Carnivora]] | familia = [[Ailuridae]] | genus = '''''Ailurus''''' | genus_authority = [[Frédéric Cuvier|F. Cuvier]], 1825 | species = '''''A. fulgens''''' | species_authority = F. Cuvier, 1825 | binomial = ''Ailurus fulgens'' | binomial_authority = F. Cuvier, 1825 | subdivision = ''A. f. fulgens'' <small>F. Cuvier, 1825</small><br> ''A. f. styani'' <small>[[Oldfield Thomas|Thomas]], 1902</small><ref name="thomas_1902"/><ref name=msw3/> | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies | range_map = Cypron-Range Ailurus fulgens.svg | range_map_alt = Map showing the range of the red pandas | range_map_caption = Range of the red panda }} The '''red panda''' (''Ailurus fulgens''), also called '''lesser panda''', '''red bear-cat''', and '''red cat-bear''', is a small [[arboreal]] [[mammal]] native to the eastern [[Himalayas]] and southwestern [[China]] that has been classified as [[Endangered species|endangered]] by the [[IUCN]]<ref name="iucn"/> as its wild population is estimated at less than 10,000 mature individuals. The population continues to decline and is threatened by [[habitat loss]] and [[Habitat fragmentation|fragmentation]], [[poaching]], and [[inbreeding depression]], although red pandas are protected by national laws in their range countries.<ref name="iucn">{{IUCN |assessors=Wang, X., Choudhry, A., Yonzon, P., Wozencraft, C., Than Z. |year=2008 |id=714 |taxon=Ailurus fulgens |version=2012.2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Angela R. Glatston|title=Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda|date=23 November 2010|publisher=William Andrew|isbn=978-1437778137|page=12}}</ref> 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 shoot|bamboo]], but is [[omnivorous]], and also eats eggs, [[bird]]s, [[insect]]s, and small [[mammal]]s. It is a [[solitary animal]], mainly [[Nocturnality|active from dusk to dawn]], and is largely [[Sedentary lifestyle|sedentary]] during the day. The red panda is the only living species of the [[Genus (biology)|genus]] ''Ailurus'' and the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Ailuridae]]. It has been previously placed in the [[Procyonidae|raccoon]] and [[Ursidae|bear]] families, but results of [[phylogenetic]] research indicate strong support for its [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic]] classification in its own family Ailuridae, which along with the [[Mustelidae|weasel]], [[Procyonidae|raccoon]] and [[skunk]] families is part of the superfamily [[Musteloidea]].<ref name="Flynn_2000"/> Two [[subspecies]] are recognized.<ref name=msw3/> It is not closely related to the [[giant panda]]. ==Physical characteristics== [[File:RedPandaDescent.JPG|thumb|left|Red panda descending head first]] [[File:Ailurus fulgens skull at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.jpg|thumb|Red panda skull]] The head and body length of a red panda measures {{convert|50|to|64|cm|abbr=on}}, and its tail is {{convert|28|to|59|cm|abbr=on}}. Males weigh {{convert|3.7|to|6.2|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and females {{convert|3|to|6.0|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="roberts+gittleman">{{cite journal |author = Roberts, M. S.; Gittleman, J. L. |year=1984 |title= Ailurus fulgens |journal=Mammalian Species |volume=222 |issue=222 |pages=1–8 |url=http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/4231/1/Roberts1984.pdf |doi=10.2307/3503840|jstor=3503840 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.arkive.org/red-panda/ailurus-fulgens/ Red panda (''Ailurus fulgens'')]. arkive.org</ref><ref name="Burnie">Burnie D and Wilson DE (Eds.), ''Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife''. DK Adult (2005), ISBN 0789477645</ref> They have long, soft, reddish-brown fur on the upper parts, blackish fur on the lower parts, and a light face with tear markings and [[Robustness (morphology)|robust]] [[cranium|cranio]] [[teeth|dental]] features. The light face has white badges similar to those of a raccoon, but each individual can have distinctive markings. Their roundish heads have medium-sized upright ears, black noses, and very dark eyes: almost pitch black. Their long bushy tails with six alternating yellowish red transverse [[ochre]] rings provide balance and excellent [[camouflage]] against their habitat of moss- and lichen-covered trees. The legs are black and short with thick fur on the soles of the paws. This fur serves as thermal insulation on snow-covered or icy surfaces and conceals scent glands which are also present on the anus.<ref name="pocock41">{{cite book |author= Pocock, R.I. |year= 1941 |title= Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia. – Volume 2. |publisher= Taylor and Francis|place=London |url= http://www.archive.org/stream/PocockMammalia2/pocock2#page/n273/mode/2up |pages=250–264}}</ref> The red panda is [[Specialization (biology)|specialized]] as a bamboo feeder with strong, curved and sharp semiretractile claws<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> standing inward for grasping of narrow tree branches, leaves, and fruit. Like the giant panda, it has a “false thumb” that is an extension of the wrist bone. When descending a tree head-first, the red panda rotates its ankle to control its descent, one of the few climbing species to do so.<ref name="Wiley">{{cite journal |author = Fisher, R. E.; Adrian, B.; Clay, E.; Hicks, M. |title = The phylogeny of the red panda (''Ailurus fulgens''): evidence from the hindlimb |journal = Journal of Anatomy |year = 2008 |volume = 213 |issue = 5 |pages = 607–28| doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2008.00987.x |pmid = 19014366 |pmc = 2667555}}</ref> ==Distribution and habitat== [[File:Tiergarten Schoenbrunn Kleiner Panda 2.jpg|thumb|Red panda sleeping|alt=A Red panda lies sleeping on a branch high in a tree, with tail stretched out behind and legs dangling on each side of the branch]] The red panda is [[endemic]] to the [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|temperate forests]] of the [[Himalaya]]s, and ranges from the foothills of western [[Nepal]] to [[China]] in the east.<ref name="glatston_1994_20"/> Its easternmost limit is the [[Qinling Mountains]] of the [[Shaanxi Province]] in China. Its range includes southern [[Tibet]], [[Sikkim]] and [[Assam]] in [[India]], [[Bhutan]], the northern mountains of [[Burma]], and in south-western China, in the [[Hengduan Mountains]] of [[Sichuan]] and the Gongshan Mountains in [[Yunnan]]. It may also live in south-west Tibet and northern [[Arunachal Pradesh]], but this has not been documented. Locations with the highest density of red pandas include an area in the Himalayas that has been proposed as having been a refuge for a variety of endemic species in the [[Pleistocene]]. The distribution range of the red panda should be considered disjunct, rather than continuous.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> A disjunct population inhabits the [[Meghalaya subtropical forests|Meghalaya]] Plateau of north-eastern [[India]].<ref name="Choudhury"/> During a survey in the 1970s, signs of red pandas were found in Nepal's [[Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve]].<ref>Wegge, P. (1976) ''Himalayan shikar reserves: surveys and management proposals.'' Field Document No. 5. FAO/NEP/72/002 Project, Kathmandu.</ref> Their presence was confirmed in spring 2007 when four red pandas were sighted at elevations ranging from {{convert|3220|to|3610|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref>Sharma, H.P., Belant, J.L. (2009) [http://www.smallcarnivoreconservation.org/sccwiki/images/b/bf/SCC40_Sharma_and_Belant.pdf ''Distribution and observations of Red Pandas Ailurus fulgens fulgens in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal'']. Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 40, April 2009: 33–35</ref> The species' westernmost limit is in [[Rara National Park]] located farther west of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve.<ref>Bolton, M. (1976) ''Lake Rara National Park management plan.'' Working Document No. 3. FAO/UNDP National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Project, Nepal</ref> Their presence was confirmed in 2008.<ref>Sharma, H. P. (2008) ''Distribution and conservation status of Red Panda (''Ailurus fulgens'') in Rara National Park, Nepal''. Final Report to People’s Trust for Endangered Species, London, UK</ref> The red panda lives between {{convert|2200|and|4800|m|ft|abbr=on}} altitude, inhabiting areas of moderate temperature between {{convert|10|and|25|C|F}} with little annual change. It prefers mountainous mixed [[deciduous]] and [[conifer]] forests, especially with old trees and dense understories of [[bamboo]].<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/><ref name="glatston_1994_20"/> The red panda population in [[Sichuan|Sichuan Province]] is larger and more stable than the Yunnan population, suggesting a southward expansion from Sichuan into Yunnan in the [[Holocene]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Bing Su, Yunxin Fu, Wang, Y., Li Jin, Chakraborty, R. |year=2001 |title=Genetic Diversity and Population History of the Red Panda (''Ailurus fulgens'') as Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Variations |journal=Molecular Biology and Evolution (2001) |volume=18 |issue=6 |pages=1070–1076 |pmid=11371595 |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003878|last2=Fu |last3=Wang |last4=Jin |last5=Chakraborty }}</ref> The red panda has become [[Local extinction|extirpated]] from the Chinese provinces of [[Guizhou]], [[Gansu]], Shaanxi, and [[Qinghai]].<ref name="Wei">{{cite journal|last=Wei|first=F.|last2=Feng|first2=Z.|last3=Wang|first3=Z.|last4=Hu|first4=J.|title=Current distribution, status and conservation of wild red pandas Ailurus fulgens in China|journal=Biological Conservation|doi=10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00156-6|issue=89|pages=285–291|year=1999|volume=89}}</ref> ===Distribution of subspecies=== Distribution of the red panda is disjointed, with two [[extant taxon|extant]] subspecies: * Western red panda ''A. f. fulgens'' ([[Frédéric Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1825) lives in the western part of its range, in [[Nepal]], [[Assam]], [[Sikkim]], and [[Bhutan]]. * Styan's red panda ''A. f. styani'' lives in the east-north-eastern part of its range, in southern China and northern Burma.<ref name="glover1938"/> ''A. f. styani'' has been described by [[Oldfield Thomas|Thomas]] in 1902 based on one skull from a specimen collected in Sichuan.<ref name="thomas_1902">{{Cite news |author= Thomas, O. |year= 1902 |title= On the Panda of Sze-chuen |periodical= Annals and Magazine of Natural History |publisher= Gunther, A.C.L.G., Carruthers, W., Francis, W. |location= London |series= Seventh Series |volume=X |pages=251–252 |url=http://www.archive.org/stream/s7annalsmagazine10londuoft#page/251/mode/1up |postscript= <!-- Bot inserted parameter. Either remove it; or change its value to "." for the cite to end in a ".", as necessary. -->{{inconsistent citations}} |doi=10.1080/00222930208678667}}</ref> [[Reginald Innes Pocock|Pocock]] distinguished ''A. f. styani'' from ''A. f. fulgens'' by its longer winter coat and more abundant blackness in the [[pelage]], bigger skull, more strongly curved forehead, and more robust teeth. His description is based on skulls and skins collected in Sichuan, [[Myitkyina District|Myitkyina]] close to the border of Yunnan, and Upper Burma.<ref name="pocock41"/> The Styan's red panda is supposedly larger and darker in color than the Western member of the species, but with considerable variation in both subspecies, and some individuals may be brown or yellowish brown rather than red.<ref name="glatston_1994_20">[[#glatston1994|Glatston 1994:20]]</ref> The [[Brahmaputra]] River is often considered the natural division between the two subspecies, where it makes a curve around the eastern end of the Himalayas, although some authors suggest ''A. f. fulgens'' extends farther eastward, into China. ==Biology and behavior== ===Behavior=== [[File:Red panda twittering.ogg|thumb|Sounds of red panda twittering]] The red panda is territorial; it is solitary except during mating season. The species is generally quiet except for some [[List of animal sounds|twittering]], tweeting, and whistling communication sounds. It has been reported to be both [[nocturnal]] and [[crepuscular]], sleeping on tree branches or in tree hollows during the day and increasing its activity in the late afternoon and early evening hours. It sleeps stretched out on a branch with legs dangling when it is hot, and curled up with its tail over the face when it is cold.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> This panda is very heat sensitive, with an optimal “well-being” temperature between {{convert|17|and|25|C|F|abbr=on}}, and cannot tolerate temperatures over {{convert|25|°C|°F}}. [[File:Lesser panda standing.jpg|thumb|right|Red panda standing]] Shortly after waking, red pandas clean their fur like a cat, licking their front paws and then rubbing their backs, torsos, and sides. They also rub their backs and bellies along the sides of trees or rocks. Then they patrol their territories, [[spraying (animal behavior)|marking with urine]] and a weak musk-smelling secretion from their anal glands. They search for food running along the ground or through the trees. Red pandas may alternately use their fore paws to bring food to their mouths or place food directly into their mouths.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> Predators of the red panda include the [[snow leopard]], [[marten]]s ([[Mustelidae]]), and humans. If they feel threatened or sense danger, they may try to escape by climbing a rock column or tree. If they can no longer flee, they stand on their hind legs to make themselves appear larger and use the sharp claws on their front paws to defend themselves. The red panda [[Futa (panda)|Futa]] became a visitor attraction in Japan for his ability to stand upright for ten seconds at a time. ===Diet=== [[File:Ailurus fulgens 01.ogv|thumb|Red panda gnawing]] Red pandas are excellent climbers, and forage largely in trees. They eat mostly [[bamboo]], and may eat small mammals, birds, eggs, flowers, and berries. In captivity, they were observed to eat birds, flowers, [[Acer (genus)|maple]] and [[Morus (plant)|mulberry]] leaves, and bark and fruits of maple, [[beech]], and mulberry.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> Like the giant panda, they cannot digest [[cellulose]], so they must consume a large volume of bamboo to survive. Their diets consist of about two-thirds bamboo, but they also eat mushrooms, roots, acorns, lichens, and grasses. Occasionally, they supplement their diets with fish and insects. They do little more than eat and sleep due to their low-calorie diets.{{citation needed|date=January 2010}} [[Bamboo shoot]]s are more easily digested than leaves, exhibiting the highest digestibility in summer and autumn, intermediate digestibility in the spring, and lowest digestibility in the winter. These variations correlate with the nutrient contents in the bamboo. Red pandas process bamboo poorly, especially the cellulose and cell wall components. This implies microbial digestion plays only a minor role in their digestive strategy. To survive on this poor-quality diet, they have to eat the high-quality sections of the bamboo plant, such as the tender leaves and shoots, in large quantities, over {{convert|1.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}} of fresh leaves and {{convert|4|kg|lb|abbr=on}} of fresh shoots daily. This food passes through the digestive tract fairly rapidly (about 2–4 hr) so as to maximize nutrient intake.<ref name="wei_1999">{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb01053.x |author=Wei, F, Feng, Z., Wang, Z., Zhou, A., Hu, J. |year=1999 |title=Use of the nutrients in bamboo by the red panda Ailurus fulgens |journal=Journal of Zoology|volume=248|pages=535–541 |issue=4|last2=Feng |last3=Wang |last4=Zhou |last5=Hu }}</ref> Red pandas can taste artificial sweeteners, such as [[aspartame]], the only nonprimates known to do so.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[BBC News]]|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8002978.stm|title=Pandas opt for low-cal sweeteners|date=16 April 2008|accessdate=8 May 2008}}</ref> ===Reproduction=== [[File:Dortmund-Zoo-Kleiner Panda151930.jpg|thumb|Red panda tending its cub]] Red pandas are able to reproduce around 18 months of age, and are fully mature at two to three years. Adults rarely interact in the wild except to mate. Both sexes may mate with more than one partner during the mating season from mid-January to early March.<ref name="Nowak">{{cite book|last=R. M.|first=Nowak|title=Walker’s Mammals of the World|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=Baltimore |year=1999 |edition=sixth |volume=2 |pages=695–696|isbn=0-8018-5789-9 }}</ref> A few days before birth, females begin to collect material, such as brushwood, grass, and leaves, to build a nest, which is normally located in a hollow tree or a rock crevice. After a gestation period of 112 to 158 days, the female gives birth in mid-June to late July to one to four blind and deaf cubs weighing {{convert|110|to|130|g|oz|abbr=on}} each.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> After birth, the mother cleans the cubs and can then recognize each by its smell. At first, she spends 60% to 90% of her time with the cubs. After the first week, the mother starts spending more time outside the nest, returning every few hours to nurse and groom the cubs. She moves the young frequently among several nests, all of which she keeps clean. The cubs start to open their eyes at about 18 days of age. By about 90 days, they have achieved full adult fur and coloring, and begin to venture out of the nest. They also start eating solid foods at this point, weaning at around six to eight months of age. The cubs stay with their mother until the next litter is born in the following summer. Males rarely help raise the young, and only if they live in pairs or in small groups.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> Their average lifespan is between eight and 10 years, but individuals have been known to reach 15 years. ==Threats== [[File:Ailurus fulgens Panda Rosso Red Panda.jpg|thumb|A captive red panda]] The primary threats to red pandas are direct harvest from the wild, live or dead, competition with domestic livestock resulting in habitat degradation, and [[deforestation]] resulting in habitat loss or fragmentation. The relative importance of these factors is different in each region, and is not well understood.<ref name="glatston_1994_20"/> For instance, in India, the biggest threat seems to be habitat loss followed by [[poaching]], while in China, the biggest threat seems to be hunting and poaching.<ref name="iucn"/> A 40% decrease in red panda populations has been reported in China over the last 50 years, and populations in western Himalayan areas are considered to be lower.<ref name="Wei"/> Deforestation can inhibit the spread of red pandas and exacerbate the natural population subdivision by [[topography]] and [[ecology]], leading to severe fragmentation of the remaining wild population. Fewer than 40 animals in four separate groups share resources with humans in Nepal's [[Langtang National Park]], where only 6% of {{Convert|1710|km2|abbr=on}} is preferred red panda habitat. Although direct competition for food with domestic livestock is not significant, [[livestock]] can depress bamboo growth by trampling.<ref name="Yonzon">{{cite journal |author=Yonzon, P. B., Hunter Jr., M. L. |title=Conservation of the red panda Ailurus fulgens |journal=Biological Conservation|issue=57|year=1991|doi=10.1016/0006-3207(91)90046-C |volume=58 |pages=85|last2=Grainger |last3=Shobrak |last4=Habibi }}</ref> Small groups of animals with little opportunity for exchange between them face the risk of inbreeding, decreased genetic diversity, and even extinction. In addition, clear-cutting for firewood or agriculture, including hillside terracing, removes old trees that provide maternal dens and decreases the ability of some species of bamboo to regenerate.<ref name="glatston_1994_20"/> In south-west China, red pandas are hunted for their fur, especially for the highly valued bushy tails from which hats are produced. In these areas, the fur is often used for local cultural ceremonies. In weddings, the bridegroom traditionally carries the hide. The "good-luck charm" red panda-tail hats are also used by local newly-weds.<ref name="Wei"/> This practice may be quite old, as the red panda seems to be depicted in a 13th-century Chinese pen-and-ink scroll showing a hunting scene. Little or no mention of the red panda is made in the culture and folklore of Nepal.<ref name="glatston_1994_8"/> In the past, red pandas were captured and sold to [[zoo]]s. Angela Glatston reported she had personally handled 350 red pandas in 17 years.<ref name="glatston_1994_11">[[#glatston1994|Glatston 1994:11]]</ref> Due to [[CITES]], this number has decreased substantially in recent years, but poaching continues, and red pandas are often sold to private collectors at exorbitant prices. In some parts of Nepal and India, red pandas are kept as pets.<ref>{{cite web |last = World Wildlife Fund |url = http://www.wwfindia.org/red_panda.cfm |title = I'm a good luck charm. That's my bad luck. |accessdate=26 September 2009}}</ref> The red panda has a naturally low birth rate (usually single or twin births per year), and a high death rate in the wild. ==Conservation== [[File:Ailurus fulgens -Diergaarde Blijdorp-8a.jpg|thumb|Closeup of red panda]] [[File:Ailurus fulgens - 01.jpg|thumb|Red panda resting on a tree]] The red panda is listed in [[CITES Appendix I]].<ref name="cites_appendix"/> The species has been classified as [[Endangered species|endangered]] in the [[IUCN Red List]] since 2008 because the global population is estimated at about 10,000 individuals, with a decreasing population trend; only about half of the total area of potential habitat of {{convert|142000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} is actually being used by the species. Due to their shy and secretive nature, and their largely nocturnal habits, observation of red pandas is difficult. Therefore, population figures in the wild are determined by population density estimates and not direct counts.<ref name="iucn"/> Worldwide population estimates range from fewer than 2,500<ref name="Nowak"/> to between 16,000 and 20,000 individuals.<ref name="Choudhury">{{cite journal |author=Choudhury, A. |year=2001 |title=An overview of the status and conservation of the red panda Ailurus fulgens in India, with reference to its global status |journal=Oryx |publisher=Flora & Fauna International |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=250–259 |doi=10.1046/j.1365-3008.2001.00181.x}}</ref> In 1999, the total population in China was estimated at between 3,000 and 7,000 individuals.<ref name="Wei"/> In 2001, the wild population in India was estimated at between 5,000 and 6,000 individuals.<ref name="Choudhury"/> Estimates for Nepal indicate only a few hundred individuals.<ref name="Massicot">{{cite web |url=http://www.animalinfo.org/species/carnivor/ailufulg.htm |title=Animal Info: Red Panda |author=Massicot, P. |year=2006 |accessdate=2 September 2008}}</ref> No records from Bhutan or Burma exist. Reliable population numbers are hard to find, partly because other animals have been mistaken for the red panda. For instance, one report from Burma stated that red pandas were still fairly common in some areas, and was accompanied by a photograph of a "red panda" as proof. The photograph in question depicted a species of [[civet]].<ref>[[#glatston1994|Glatston 1994:viii]]</ref> The red panda is protected in all range countries, and hunting is illegal.<ref name="iucn"/> Beyond this, conservation efforts are highly variable between countries: * China has 35 protected areas covering about 42.4% of red panda habitat.<ref name="iucn"/> * India has 20 protected areas with known or possible red panda populations in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and [[West Bengal]] such as [[Khangchendzonga National Park]], [[Namdapha National Park]], and [[Singalila National Park]], and a coordinated conservation policy for the red panda.<ref name="iucn"/> * In Nepal, known populations occur in [[Langtang National Park]], [[Sagarmatha National Park]], [[Makalu Barun National Park]], [[Rara National Park]], [[Annapurna Conservation Area]], [[Kanchenjunga Conservation Area]], and in [[Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve]].<ref>Bhuju, U.R., Shakya, P.R., Basnet, T.B., Shrestha, S. (2007) ''Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites.'' International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Kathmandu, ISBN 978-92-9115-033-5 [http://books.icimod.org/demo/uploads/ftp/Nepal%20Biodiversity%20Resource%20Book.pdf pdf]</ref> * Bhutan has five protected areas that support red panda populations.<ref name="iucn"/> * Burma has [[List of protected areas in Burma|26 protected areas]], of which at least one hosts red panda populations.<ref name="iucn"/> ===''In situ'' initiatives=== A community-managed forest in [[Ilam District]] of eastern Nepal is home to 15 red pandas which generate household income through tourism activities, including home stays. Villagers in the high-altitude areas of Arunachal Pradesh have formed the Pangchen Red Panda Conservation Alliance comprising five villages with a community-conserved forest area of {{convert|200|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} at an altitude of {{convert|2500|m|ft|abbr=on}} to over {{convert|4000|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref>Ghimire, N., Bhatta, S. D. (eds.) (2010) [http://www.resourceshimalaya.org/content_files/HH15december2010_sAnUmAn4d1868cad8a71.pdf ''Red Pandas from Choyatar''] Headlines Himalaya No. 138, December 08‐14, 2010 {{dead link|date=November 2011}}</ref> ===In captivity=== [[File:Spinus-red-panda-2014-10-n017050-w.jpg|thumb|left|Ailurus fulgens at Prospect Park Zoo, New York, USA.]] The red panda is quite adaptable to living in captivity, and is common in zoos worldwide. By 1992, more than 300 births had occurred in captivity, and more than 300 individuals lived in 85 institutions worldwide.<ref name="roberts_1992"/> By 2001, 182 individuals were in North American zoos alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Ailurus_fulgens/more_info.html|title=Red Panda|last=ARKive|year=2008|accessdate=2 September 2008}}</ref> As of 2006, the international studbook listed more than 800 individuals in zoos and parks around the world. Of these, 511 individuals of subspecies ''A. f. fulgens'' were kept in 173 institutions<ref name="studbook/fulgens">[[#studbook fulgens|Glatston 2007a]]</ref> and 306 individuals of subspecies ''A. f. styani'' were kept in 81 institutions.<ref name="studbook/styani">[[#studbook styani|Glatston 2007b]]</ref> The International Studbook is currently managed at the [[Rotterdam Zoo]] in the [[Netherlands]]. In cooperation with the International Red Panda Management Group, they coordinate the [[Species Survival Plan]] in North America, the [[European Endangered Species Programme]] in [[Europe]], and other [[captive breeding|captive-breeding]] programs in [[Australia]], [[India]], [[Japan]], and China.<ref name="studbook/styani"/><ref name="india/studbook">{{cite web |url=http://www.cza.nic.in/redpandastudbook.pdf |title=National Studbook of Red Panda (''Ailurus fulgens'') Data till May 2009 |accessdate=26 September 2009}}</ref> In 2009, Sarah Glass, curator of red pandas and special exhibits at the [[Knoxville Zoo]] in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]], was appointed as coordinator for the North American Red Panda Species Survival Plan. The Knoxville Zoo has the largest number of captive red panda births in the Western Hemisphere (101 as of August 2011). Only the [[Rotterdam Zoo]] in the Netherlands has had more captive births worldwide.<ref name="studbook/fulgens"/><ref name="studbook/styani"/> The [[Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park]] in [[Darjeeling]], [[India]], successfully released four captive-bred red pandas to the wild in August and November 2003.<ref name="india/studbook"/> Three red panda cubs were born in captivity at [[Hamilton Zoo]] in New Zealand in December 2012, doubling the number held there.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Public-to-name-panda-triplets/tabid/1160/articleID/295263/Default.aspx|work=3 News NZ |title= Public to name panda triplets| date=23 April 2013}}</ref> ==Domestication== [[File:Red Panda in a Gingko tree.jpg|thumb|right|A red panda in a gingko tree]] Because the red panda is considered a very attractive animal, and is not much larger than a house cat, it would seem to be ideal for a pet. Despite this and reports of [[Indira Gandhi]] keeping red pandas as pets when she was a child, widespread adoption of these animals as pets has not been reported.<ref name="glatston_1994_8" /> ==Phylogenetics== {{Main|Ailuridae}} The [[taxonomic]] classification of the red panda has been controversial since it was discovered. French zoologist [[Frédéric Cuvier]] initially described the red panda in 1825, and classified it as a close relative of the raccoon ([[Procyonidae]]), though he gave it the genus name ''Ailurus'', (from [[Ancient Greek]] αἴλουρος, "cat"), based on superficial similarities with domestic cats. The specific epithet is the [[Latin]] adjective ''fulgens'', "shining".<ref>{{cite book|author = Simpson DP| title = Cassell's Latin Dictionary | publisher = Cassell Ltd.| year = 1979|edition = 5|location = London| isbn=0-304-52257-0}}</ref> At various times, it has been placed in the Procyonidae, [[Ursidae]], with ''[[Ailuropoda]]'' in the [[Ailuropodinae]] (until this family was moved into the Ursidae), and in its own family, the [[Ailuridae]]. This uncertainty comes from difficulty in determining whether certain characteristics of ''Ailurus'' are phylogenetically conservative or are derived and convergent with species of similar ecological habits.<ref name="roberts+gittleman"/> [[File:Red panda gnawing.jpg|thumb|left|A red panda gnawing on an exfoliated bamboo bush]] Evidence based on the [[fossil record]], [[serology]], [[karyology]], [[behavior]], [[anatomy]], and [[reproduction]] reflect closer affinities with Procyonidae than Ursidae. However, ecological and [[foraging]] specializations and distinct geographical distribution in relation to modern [[procyonids]] support classification in the separate family Ailuridae.<ref name=msw3/><ref name="roberts+gittleman"/><ref name="Flynn_2005">{{cite journal |title=Molecular phylogeny of the carnivora (mammalia): assessing the impact of increased sampling on resolving enigmatic relationships |journal=Systematic Biology |volume=54 |issue=2 |pages=317–337 |year=2005 |pmid=16012099|doi=10.1080/10635150590923326|author1=Flynn |first1=J. J. |last2=Finarelli |first2=J. A. |last3=Zehr |first3=S |last4=Hsu |first4=J |last5=Nedbal |first5=M. A. }}</ref> Recent [[molecular phylogenetics|molecular systematic]] [[DNA]] research also places the red panda into its own family, Ailuridae, which is in turn part of the broad superfamily [[Musteloidea]] that also includes the [[Mephitidae|skunk]], [[Procyonidae|raccoon]], and [[Mustelidae|weasel]] families.<ref name="Flynn_2000">{{cite journal|last=Flynn |first=J. J. |last2=Nedbal |first2 = M. A. |last3=Dragoo |first3=J. W. |last4=Honeycutt |first4=R. L. |url=http://www.msb.unm.edu/mammals/publications/Flynn2000.pdf |title=Whence the Red Panda? |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=190–199 |year=2000 |accessdate=23 September 2009|pmid=11083933|doi=10.1006/mpev.2000.0819}}</ref><ref name="Flynn_2005"/><ref name="Flynn_1998">{{cite journal|last=Flynn |first=J. J. |last2=Nedbal |first2 = M. A. |title=Phylogeny of the Carnivora (Mammalia): Congruence vs incompatibility among multiple data sets |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=9 |issue=3 |pages=414–426 |year=1998|pmid=9667990|doi=10.1006/mpev.1998.0504 }}</ref> {{Quote|It is not a bear, nor closely related to the giant panda, nor a raccoon, nor a lineage of uncertain affinities. Rather it is a basal lineage of musteloid, with a long history of independence from its closest relatives (skunks, raccoons, and otters/weasels/badgers).|Flynn et al.|Whence the Red Panda,<ref name="Flynn_2000"/> p197}} The two subspecies are [[Ailurus fulgens fulgens|''A. f. fulgens'']] and ''[[Ailurus fulgens styani|A. f. styani]]''. However, the name ''Ailurus fulgens refulgens'' is sometimes incorrectly used for ''A. f. styani''. This stems from a [[lapsus]] made by [[Henri Milne-Edwards]] in his 1874 paper "''Recherches pour servir à l'histoire naturelle des mammifères comprenant des considérations sur la classification de ces animaux''",<ref>{{cite journal|author=Milne-Edwards, H. |year=1874 |title=Recherches pour servir à l'histoire naturelle des mammifères comprenant des considérations sur la classification de ces animaux |journal=Nature |volume=11 |issue=285 |publisher=G. Masson, Paris |page=394|bibcode=1875Natur..11..463 |doi=10.1038/011463a0 }}</ref> making ''A. f. refulgens'' a ''[[nomen nudum]]''.<ref name="pocock41"/><ref name="glover1938">{{cite book |author= Glover, A. M. |title= The Mammals of China and Mongolia |year= 1938 |publisher= New York: [[American Museum of Natural History]] |pages= 314–317 |url= http://www.archive.org/stream/mammalsofchinamo01alle#page/314/mode/2up}}</ref> The most recent edition of ''Mammal Species of the World'' still shows the subspecies as ''A. f. refulgens''.<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft|id=14001690}}</ref> This has been corrected in more recent works, including ''A guide to the Mammals of China''<ref>{{cite book |editor=Smith, A. T.; Yan Xie |title=A guide to the Mammals of China |publisher=Princeton University Press |location=Princeton, N.J |year=2008 |url = http://books.google.com/books?id=ka-9f68nPT4C&printsec=frontcover |isbn=978-0-691-09984-2}}</ref> and ''Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 1: Carnivores''.<ref name="handbook_mammals">{{cite book |editor = Wilson, Don E. and Mittermeier, Russell A. |title = Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 1: Carnivores |publisher = Lynx Edicions |page=503 |year = 2009 |isbn = 978-84-96553-49-1}}</ref> ===Evolutionary history=== [[File:Red Panda Simon 01.jpg|thumb|right|A captive red panda]] The red panda is considered a [[living fossil]] and only distantly related to the giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), as it is naturally more closely related to the other members of the superfamily [[Musteloidea]] to which it belongs. The [[common ancestor]] of both pandas (which also was an ancestor for all living bears, [[pinnipeds]] -the [[walrus]] and seals- and musteloids -[[raccoons]], [[skunks]], [[weasels]], [[otters]]...) can be traced back to the Early [[Tertiary]] [[Period (geology)|period]] tens of millions of years ago, with a wide distribution across [[Eurasia]]. [[Fossil]]s of the extinct red panda ''[[Parailurus anglicus]]'' have been unearthed from China in the east to [[United Kingdom|Britain]] in the west.<ref name="bristoli">{{cite web|url=http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/04/red_panda_empire.php|title=The once mighty red panda empire |last=Naish|first=Darrin |date=5 April 2008|publisher=Tetrapod Zoology|accessdate=9 January 2010}}</ref> In 1977, a single tooth of ''Parailurus'' was discovered in the [[Pliocene]] Ringold Formation of [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. This first North American record is almost identical to European specimens and indicates the immigration of this species from Asia.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Tedford, R.H., Gustafson, E.P. |title=First North American record of the extinct panda Parailurus |journal=Nature |issue=5595 |pages=621–623 |volume=265 |doi=10.1038/265621a0 |year=1977|bibcode=1977Natur.265..621T |last2=Gustafson }}</ref> In 2004, a tooth from a red panda species never before recorded in North America was discovered at the [[Gray Fossil Site]] in [[Tennessee]]. The tooth dates from 4.5–7 million years ago. This species, described as ''[[Pristinailurus bristoli]]'', indicates that a second, more primitive ailurine lineage inhabited North America during the [[Miocene]]. Cladistic analysis suggests that ''Parailurus'' and ''Ailurus'' are sister taxa.<ref name="bristoli"/><ref>{{cite journal|last=Wallace|first=Steven C.|last2=Wang|first2=Xiaoming |date=30 September 2004|title=Two new carnivores from an unusual late Tertiary forest biota in eastern North America |journal=Nature|issue=7008|pages=556–559 |volume=431 |doi=10.1038/nature02819 |pmid=15457257|bibcode=2004Natur.431..556W}}</ref> Additional fossils of ''Pristinailurus bristoli'' were discovered at the Gray Fossil Site in 2010 and in 2012.<ref>[http://www.aolnews.com/2010/08/09/exclusive-a-red-panda-in-tennessee-fossils-confirm-n-american/ Exclusive: Traces of Red Panda Found in Tennessee]. AOl News, 9 August 2010. Retrieved: 23 November 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=100512#ixzz1vzCODqT4 Rex Barber. Second red panda skeleton uncovered at Gray Fossil Site. Johnson City Press. Retrieved: 2012-05-25.]</ref> The frequency with which panda fossils are being found at Gray Fossil Site suggests the species played a large role in the overall ecosystem of the area. The discovery in Spain of the postcranial remains of ''[[Simocyon batalleri]]'', a Miocene relative to the red panda, supports a sister-group relationship between red pandas and bears. The discovery suggests the red panda's "false thumb" was an adaptation to arboreal locomotion&nbsp;— independent of the giant panda's adaptation to manipulate bamboo&nbsp;— one of the most dramatic cases of [[convergent evolution]] among vertebrates.<ref name="PNAS-Salesa-2006">{{cite journal | ref = harv | last1 = Salesa | first1 = Manuel J. | last2 = Mauricio | first2 = Antón | last3 = Peigné | first3 = Stéphane | last4 = Morales | first4 = Jorge | title = Evidence of a false thumb in a fossil carnivore clarifies the evolution of pandas | journal = PNAS | year = 2006 | volume = 103 | pmid = 16387860 | issue = 2 | pmc = 1326154 | pages = 379–382 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0504899102 | bibcode = 2006PNAS..103..379S }}</ref> === Taxonomic history === [[File:Red Panda.JPG|thumb|A captive red panda]] The first known written record of the red panda occurs in a 13th-century Chinese scroll depicting a hunting scene between hunters and the red panda.<ref name="glatston_1994_8">{{cite book |last=IUCN/SSC Mustelid, Viverrid, and Procyonid Specialist Group |title=The Red Panda, Olingos, Coatis, Raccoons, and Their Relatives |editor=A. R. Glatston |publisher=IUCN|location=Gland, Switzerland |year=1994 |isbn=2-8317-0046-9 |url=http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/1994-015_en.pdf|accessdate=9 January 2010}}</ref><ref name="roberts_1992">{{cite web|url=http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/1992/2/redpandasfirecat.cfm |title=Red Panda: The Fire Cat |last=Roberts |first = M. |year=1992 |accessdate=26 November 2009}}</ref> Major General [[Thomas Hardwicke]]’s 1821 presentation of an article titled "Description of a new Genus of the Class Mammalia, from the Himalaya Chain of Hills Between Nepaul and the Snowy Mountains" at the [[Linnean Society]] in London is usually regarded as the moment the red panda became a ''bona fide'' species in Western science. Hardwicke proposed the name "wha" and explained: "It is frequently discovered by its loud cry or call, resembling the word ‘Wha’, often repeating the same: hence is derived one of the local names by which it is known. It is also called ''Chitwa''." Hardwicke's paper was not published until 1827, by which time Frédéric Cuvier had published his description and a figure. Hardwicke's originally proposed taxonomic name was removed from the 1827 publication of his paper with his permission, and naming credit is now given to Cuvier.<ref name="hardwicke_1827">{{cite journal |author=Hardwicke, T. |title= Description of a new Genus of the Class Mammalia, from the Himalaya Chain of Hills between Nepaul and the Snowy Mountains |journal =The Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. |volume = XV |pages = 161–165 |publisher= Linnean Society of London |year=1827 |url=http://www.archive.org/stream/transactionsofli15182627linn#page/160/mode/2up |language=Latin, English |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1826.tb00113.x}}</ref> Frédéric Cuvier had received the specimen he described from his brother's stepson, [[Alfred Duvaucel]], who had sent it "from the mountains north of India".<ref>{{cite book |author=Cuvier, G. |year=1829 |title=Le règne animal distribué d'après son organisation |volume = Tome 1 |url=http://www.archive.org/stream/lergneanimaldi01regn#page/138/mode/2up/search/panda |pages = 138: ''Le Panda éclatant'' |publisher= Chez Déterville, Paris}}</ref> He was the first to use both the binomial ''Ailurus fulgens'' and the vernacular name "panda" in reference to the species in his description published in 1825 in ''Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères''.<ref>Cuvier, F. (1825) [http://www.redpandas.org/biology/archives/1825/histoire-naturelle-des-mammifere "Ailurus. Ailurus fulgens. Panda."] 3 pages, 1 plate. In: Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, E.; Cuvier, F. (eds.) ''Histoire naturelle des Mammifères, avec des figures originales, coloriées, dessinées d'après des animaux vivans: publié sous l'autorité de l'administration du Muséum d'Histoire naturelle'' (50). A. Belin, Paris</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=114503&imageID=106776&total=1&e=w |title= Panda |publisher=NYPL Digital Gallery |date=25 June 2010 |accessdate=26 November 2010}}</ref> ''Ailurus'' is adopted from the [[ancient Greek]] word αἴλουρος (''ailouros''), meaning "cat".<ref>Perseus Digital Library. Greek Dictionary [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=ailouros&la=greek αἴλουρος] Headword Search Result</ref> The specific epithet ''fulgens'' is [[Latin]] for "shining, bright".<ref>Perseus Digital Library. Latin Dictionary [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/resolveform?type=begin&lookup=fulgens&lang=la fulgens] Headword Search Result</ref> ''Panda'' is the French name for the [[Roman goddess]] of peace and travellers, who was called upon before starting a difficult journey.<ref>Larousse, P. (1866–77) ''Grand dictionnaire universel du XIXe siècle : français, historique, géographique, mythologique, bibliographique, littéraire, artistique, scientifique'' [http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k2053648/f114.image.pagination.langEN Panda ou Pantica] Larousse et Boyer, Paris</ref> Whether this is the origin of the French vernacular name ''panda'' remains uncertain. In later publications, the name is claimed to be adopted from a [[Himalayan languages|Himalayan language]]. In 1847, [[Brian Houghton Hodgson|Hodgson]] described a red panda under the name ''Ailurus ochraceus'', of which Pocock concluded it represents the same [[Type species|type]] as ''Ailurus fulgens'', since the description of the two agree very closely. He subordinated both types to the Himalayan red panda subspecies ''Ailurus fulgens fulgens''.<ref name="pocock41"/> ==Local names== [[File:Red Panda in Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoo, Darjeeling, India.jpg|thumb|A captive red panda]] The red panda's local names differ from place to place. The [[Lepcha people]] call it ''sak nam''. In Nepal, the species is called ''bhalu biralo'' (bear-cat) and ''habre''. The [[Bhotia language|Sherpa]] people of Nepal and Sikkim call it ''ye niglva ponva'' and ''wah donka''.<ref>Shrestha, T. K. (2003) [http://books.google.com/books?id=7kISKPHHOWMC&printsec=frontcover ''Wildlife of Nepal: a study of renewable resources of Nepal Himalayas'']. Steven Simpson Books. ISBN 9993359025.</ref> The word ''wậː'' is [[Sunwar language|Sunuwari]] meaning bear; in [[Tamang language]], a small, red bear is called ''tāwām''.<ref>Hale, Austin (ed.) (1973) ''Clause, sentence, and discourse patterns in selected languages of Nepal 4: Word lists.'' Summer Institute of Linguistics Publications in Linguistics and Related Fields, 40(4). Norman: Summer Institute of Linguistics of the University of Oklahoma. vii, 314 p. [http://www.sil.org/acpub/repository/26456.pdf online : see page 110]</ref> In the [[Kanchenjunga Conservation Area|Kanchenjunga]] region of eastern Nepal, the [[Limbu people|Limbus]] know red pandas as ''kaala'', which literally means dark because of their underside pelage; villagers of Tibetan origin call them ''hoptongar''.<ref>Yonzon, P.B. (1996) ''Status of wildlife in the Kanchenjunga region. A reconnaissance study report''. WWF Nepal Program, Kathmandu</ref> Additionally, [[Reginald Innes Pocock|Pocock]] lists the vernacular names ''ye'' and ''nigálya ponya'' (Nepal); ''thokya'' and ''thongwa'' ([[Limbu language|Limbu]]); ''oakdonga'' or ''wakdonka'' and ''woker'' (Bhotia); ''saknam sunam'' (Lepcha).<ref name="pocock41" /> ''Nigálya'' may originate from the [[Nepali language|Nepali]] word निङालो ''niṅālo'' or ''nĩgālo'' meaning a particular kind of small bamboo, namely ''[[Arundinaria]] intermedia'', but also refers to a kind of small leopard, or cat-bear.<ref>{{cite web |author= Turner, R.L. |url= http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=turner&query=nigalo&matchtype=exact&display=utf8 |title= A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language |accessdate=10 December 2010}}</ref> The word ''pónya'' may originate from the Nepali word पञ्जा ''pajā'' meaning claw, or पौँजा ''paũjā'' meaning paw of an animal.<ref>{{cite web |author= Turner, R.L. |url= http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=turner&query=panja&matchtype=exact&display=utf8 |title= A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language |accessdate=10 December 2010}}</ref> ''Nigálya pónya'' may translate to bamboo claw or paw. ''Nigálya pónya'', ''nyala ponga'',<ref>{{cite book |last=Heuvelmans |first=Bernard |authorlink=Bernard Heuvelmans |title=On the Track of Unknown Animals |url=http://books.google.com/?id=of3aAAAAMAAJ&q=nyala+ponga+bamboo&dq=nyala+ponga+bamboo|year=1958 |publisher=Rupert Hart-Davis |location=London |page=48}}</ref> and ''poonya''<ref>{{cite book |last=Glatston |first=Angela R. |title=Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda |url=http://books.google.com/?id=II-TjqidyRQC&pg=PA61|year=2010 |publisher=[[William Andrew (publisher)]] |isbn=1437778135 |page=61}}</ref> are said to mean eater of bamboo.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} The name panda could originate from ''panjā''.<ref name=catton_1990>{{cite book |title= Pandas |last= Catton |first= Chris |year= 1990 |isbn= 0-8160-2331-X|pages= 4–5}}</ref> [[File:小熊猫圖.png|thumbnail|A drawing and description of Red panda in the [[Zhonghua Da Zidian]], 1915]] In modern [[Chinese language|Chinese]], the red panda is called ''xiăoxióngmāo'' ({{lang|zh-hans|小熊猫}}/{{lang|zh|小熊貓}}, lesser or small panda),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=1&wdqb=%E5%B0%8F%E7%86%8A%E8%B2%93|title=小熊貓 |year=2011 |publisher=MDBG Chinese-English Dictionary}}</ref> or {{lang|zh-hans|红熊猫}}/{{lang|zh-hant|紅熊貓}} (''hóngxióngmāo'', red panda).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=1&wdqb=%E7%B4%85%E7%86%8A%E8%B2%93 |title=紅熊貓 |year=2011 |publisher=MDBG Chinese-English Dictionary}}</ref> In contrast, the giant panda is called ''dàxióngmāo'' ({{lang|zh-hans|大熊猫}}/{{lang|zh-hant|大熊貓}}, giant or big panda), or simply ''xióngmāo'' ({{lang|zh-hans|熊猫}}/{{lang|zh-hant|熊貓}}, panda, literally bear-cat). In English, the red panda is also called lesser panda, though "red" is generally preferred.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} Many other languages use red panda, or variations of shining/gold or lesser/small in their names for this species. For instance, червена панда in Bulgarian, ''panda roux'' in French, and ''panda rojo'' in Spanish all mean red panda. Since at least as far back as 1855, one of its French names has been ''panda éclatant'' (shining panda).<ref>{{cite book|last=Gervais|first=M. Paul|title=Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères, Avec L'Indication De Leurs Moeurs, Et De Leurs Rapports, Avec Le Arts, Le Commerce, et L'Agriculture|year=1855|volume=2|page=23|url=http://books.google.com/?id=RD8AAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover|language=French|publisher=L. Curmer}}</ref> In [[Finnish language|Finnish]], it is called ''kultapanda'' (gold panda). Variations of lesser panda occur in [[French language|French]] ''petit panda'' (small panda), in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] ''panda menor'' (lesser panda), in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] ''kleine panda'' (small panda), in [[Russian language|Russian]] «малая панда» (''malaya panda'', "small panda"), in [[Korean language|Korean]] 애기판다 (''aeki panda'', "baby panda"), in [[Japanese language|Japanese]] {{Nihongo|''ressā panda''|レッサーパンダ}}, a transliteration of English "lesser panda". Other names attributed to this species include fire cat, bright panda, and common panda.<ref name="roberts_1992"/> ==Cultural depictions== The red panda was recognized as the state animal of [[Sikkim]] in the early 1990s,<ref name="sikkim_tour_ff">{{cite web |url=http://www.sikkim.gov.in/ |title=The Official Website of the Government of Sikkim |publisher=Government of Sikkim |accessdate=15 November 2010}}</ref> and was the mascot of the Darjeeling Tea Festival.<ref name="glatston_1994_8"/> In 2005, Babu, a male red panda at [[Birmingham Nature Centre]] in Birmingham, England, escaped<ref name="BBC-Babu">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4642784.stm|title=Red panda boosts visitor numbers|date=24 January 2006|work=[[BBC Online]]|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref> and briefly became a media celebrity,<ref name="BBC-Babu" /><ref name="BiNS">{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghamitsnotshit.co.uk/award/brummie-of-the-year-2005|title=Brummie of the Year 2005|last=Bounds|first=Jon|work=[[Jon Bounds|Birmingham: It's Not Shit]]|accessdate=12 January 2011}}</ref> before being recaptured. He was subsequently voted "[[Brummie]] of the Year", the first animal to receive this honor.<ref name="BBC-Babu"/><ref name="BiNS" /> Rusty, a male red panda at the [[National Zoological Park (United States)|National Zoo]] in [[Washington, DC]], similarly attracted media attention when he briefly escaped in 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gabriel |first=T. |title=A Panda Escapes From the Zoo, and Social Media Swoop In With the Net |newspaper=New York Times |date=24 June 2013 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/us/a-parallel-search-for-a-missing-panda.html |accessdate=25 June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Day|first=P. K. |title= Rusty the red panda went missing and ABC News was on the case |newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=24 June 2013|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st--rusty-the-red-panda-is-missing-and-abc-news-is-on-the-case-20130624,0,5637885.story|accessdate=25 June 2013}}</ref> The name of the [[Firefox]] web browser is said to have been derived from a nickname of the red panda.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/firefox-name-faq.html|title=Firefox name FAQ|accessdate=13 March 2012|publisher=Mozilla}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Red_Panda|title=Red panda|accessdate=20 August 2014|publisher=BBC Nature}}</ref> An anthropomorphic red panda was featured as Master Shifu, the [[Kung Fu]] teacher, in the 2008 film ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'', and its sequels ''[[Kung Fu Panda 2]]'' in 2011 and ''[[Kung Fu Panda 3]]'' in 2016. Some of the comments about this film indicate the lack of awareness about the red panda in the United States when the first film was released. Although most of the reviewers got the species correct, some nevertheless mistook it for a tiny wolf,<ref name="urbancinefile">{{cite web|url=http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=14440&s=video_files|title=Kung Fu Panda|last=Keller|first=Louise|year=2008|work=urbancinefile.com.au|publisher=Urban Cinefile|accessdate=2 May 2010}}</ref> a rodent,<ref name="media-culture">{{cite web|url=http://reviews.media-culture.org.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2645|title=No Extra Cost for Kung Fu Panda’s ‘awesomeness’|last=Boyce|first=Maree|date=30 June 2008|work=media-culture.org.au|publisher=MC Culture|accessdate=2 May 2010}}</ref> and a lemur.<ref name="the-trades">{{cite web|url=http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=10328|title=Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda|last=Pappas |first=Jim|date=2 June 2008 |work=the-trades.com|publisher=The Trades|accessdate=2 May 2010}}</ref> In an interview, [[Dustin Hoffman]] also indicated he did not know much about the animal when he first agreed to voice the character.<ref name="wicked-local">{{cite web|url=http://www.wickedlocal.com/watertown/fun/entertainment/arts/x572597095/Dustin-Hoffman-on-his-new-role-as-the-voice-of-a-red-panda|title=Dustin Hoffman on his new role as the voice of a red panda|last=Symkus|first=Ed|date=4 June 2008|work=wickedlocal.com|publisher=Wicked Local Watertown|accessdate=2 May 2010}}</ref><ref name="sfgate">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/30/PKKO10U6KL.DTL|title=Hoffman's Challenge: Playing a New Species|last=Vigil|first=Delfín|date=1 June 2008|work=sfgate.com|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|accessdate=2 May 2010}}</ref> The red panda [[Futa (panda)|Futa]] inspired the character of Pabu, the so-specified "fire ferret" animal companion (primarily of [[Bolin (The Legend of Korra)|Bolin]]) in the animated U.S. TV series ''[[The Legend of Korra]]''.<ref>{{cite web|authorlink=Bryan Konietzko|last=Konietzko|first=Bryan|title=Years ago, on the Avatar production, ...|url=http://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/post/32498393575/years-ago-on-the-avatar-production-we-all-became|accessdate=29 September 2012|date=28 September 2012}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="cites_appendix"> {{ZooOrg|cites|appendices|accessdate=8 December 2010}} </ref> }} ===Bibliography=== * {{Anchor|studbook_fulgens}}{{cite book|last=Glatston|first=Angela|title=Red Panda International Studbook -''Ailurus fulgens fulgens'' held in zoos in 2006|publisher=Rotterdam Zoo|date=2007a|url=http://www.rotterdamzoo.nl/import/assetmanager/1/5621/fulgensloc.pdf|accessdate=13 September 2009}} * {{Anchor|studbook_styani}}{{cite book|last=Glatston|first=Angela|title=Red Panda International Studbook -''Ailurus fulgens styani'' held in zoos in 2006|publisher=Rotterdam Zoo|date=2007b|url=http://www.rotterdamzoo.nl/import/assetmanager/4/5624/STYANILOC.pdf|accessdate=13 September 2009}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=621846|title=Ailurus fulgens (Taxonomical Serial No.: 621846)|last=ITIS (USDA Integrated Taxonomic Information System)|accessdate=24 October 2009}} * {{Anchor|glatston1994}}{{cite book|last=IUCN/SSC Mustelid, Viverrid, and Procyonid Specialist Group|title=The Red Panda, Olingos, Coatis, Raccoons, and Their Relatives|editor=A. R. Glatston|publisher=IUCN|location=Gland, Switzerland|year=1994|isbn=2-8317-0046-9|url=http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/1994-015_en.pdf|accessdate=9 January 2010}} ==Further reading== * {{cite journal|first=J. Pecon|last=Slattery|first2=S. J.|last2=O'Brien|year=1995|title=Molecular phylogeny of the red panda (''Ailurus fulgens'')|journal=The Journal of Heredity|publisher=Oxford University Press|volume=86|issue=6|pages=413–22|pmid=8568209}} * Mace, G.M. and Balmford, A. (2000). “Patterns and processes in contemporary mammalian extinction.” In Priorities for the Conservation of Mammalian Diversity. Has the Panda had its day?, A. Entwhistle and N. Dunstone (eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp.&nbsp;27–52. * {{cite web|url=http://infohost.nmt.edu/~biology/EvolutionWeb/Miyashiro/PandasBackground.pdf|title=Background information on the question: "Do Pandas Really Exist?"|last=Miyashiro|date=25 August 2006|publisher=New Mexico Tech|accessdate=9 January 2010}} * {{cite web|url=http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2008/04/03/proper-pandas/|title=Nigayla-ponya, firefox, true panda: its life and times|last=Naish|first=Darren|date=3 April 2008|publisher=Tetrapod Zoology|accessdate=9 January 2010}} ==External links== {{Commons and category|Ailurus fulgens|Ailurus fulgens}} {{wikispecies|Ailurus fulgens}} * [http://www.redpandanetwork.org Red Panda Network, USA] – The world's only non-profit organization dedicated to red panda conservation. * [http://www.redpanda.org.np/ Red Panda Network, Nepal] * [http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Ailurus_fulgens.html Animal Diversity Web] ''Ailurus fulgens''. Retrieved on 2009-11-26. * [http://www.animalinfo.org/species/carnivor/ailufulg.htm Animal Info: ''Red Panda''] * [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Parks-Ranger-Service%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092737539&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper Birmingham Nature Centre] – UK breeding program. Retrieved on 2009-11-26. {{Carnivora|C.}} {{good article}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Animals described in 1825]] [[Category:EDGE species]] [[Category:Fauna of East Asia]] [[Category:Fauna of South Asia]] [[Category:Fauna of the Himalayas]] [[Category:Living fossils]] [[Category:Mammals of Bhutan]] [[Category:Mammals of Burma]] [[Category:Mammals of China]] [[Category:Mammals of India]] [[Category:Mammals of Laos]] [[Category:Mammals of Nepal]] [[Category:Wildlife of Yunnan]] [[Category:Ailuridae]] [[Category:Articles containing video clips]]'