1. IUCN 2008 Red List: Vulnerable
2. CITES: Appendix I

The Latin name of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) means "fire-coloured cat", on account of its eye-catching russet fur. It lives exclusively in temperate forests in the Himalayan foothills. To keep out the chill in their native habitat, red pandas may curl up into a tight ball with their furry tail wrapped around their head while they sleep. Poachers hunt the red panda to make fluffy coats, while deforestation, which destroys their natural habitat, further threatens their survival.

1. You probably know that giant pandas and red pandas both depend on bamboo as food, but did you know that they also once ate meat in the wild at one time? A red panda also eats acorns, roots, berries, lichens and occasionally eggs and young birds.