Red Panda

at Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens

Quick Facts

Latin Name: Ailurus fulgens
Diet: Bamboo, fruit, eggs, small animals
Lifespan: 8–10 years (wild), up to 14 (captivity)
Size: 50–64 cm body; 28–59 cm tail

Weight: 3–6.2 kg
Habitat: Forests
Range: Eastern Himalayas
Conservation Status (IUCN): Endangered

The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.

About Our Red Panda

The red panda is a charming, tree-dwelling mammal, slightly larger than a domestic cat, with a bear-like shape and thick reddish-brown fur. Its legs and belly are black, and its face is marked with distinctive white patterns above the eyes and along the sides of the head.

Agile and acrobatic, red pandas spend most of their time in the trees. Their long, bushy tails help them balance while climbing and double as a cosy blanket in cold weather. Although they are technically classified as carnivores, red pandas eat mostly plants—especially bamboo. In fact, the name “panda” is believed to come from the Nepali word ponya, meaning “bamboo eater.”

Red pandas are listed as endangered, with fewer than 10,000 left in the wild. Almost half of their natural habitat lies in the Eastern Himalayas, where deforestation and the loss of bamboo are putting increasing pressure on their survival. Climate change and habitat destruction continue to threaten this already vulnerable species.

Help Protect Red Panda - Adopt Today!

You can support the care of this incredible animal by adopting one today. Animal adoptions at Thrigby Hall help fund essential food, care, and conservation efforts. Adoptions make a thoughtful gift and are a great way to support endangered species.

Adoptions