The red panda is slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like
body and thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black, and there
are white markings on the side of the head and above its small eyes.
Red pandas are very skillful and acrobatic animals that predominantly
stay in trees. Almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern
Himalayas. They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to cover
themselves in winter, presumably for warmth. Primarily an herbivore,
the name panda is said to come from the Nepali word ‘ponya,’ which
means bamboo or plant eating animal.
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