Red Pandas
By : Fiona Flavin
Structural Adaptations
• One structural adaptation of the red panda is
that the soles are protected with wooly hair.
This is an important adaptation because the
wooly hair on its soles help reduce heat loss
and the danger of slipping on wet branches.
• A second structural adaptation is that a red
panda has a long , bushy tail. This is an
important adaptation because it helps them
balance in trees , making it easier to run away
from predators.
More Structural Adaptations
• A third structural adaptation is that they have
a striped tail. This is an important adaptation
because it makes a great camouflage against
the red moss and white lichen that grows on
trees ,making it hard for predators to see
them.
• A fourth structural adaptation is that they
have sharp teeth and claws. This is an
important adaptation because it helps kill
small animals ,bite down on the hard bamboo
shoots, defend against predators
Another Structural Adaptation
• A fifth structural adaptation is that the red
panda has a bone on the inner side of their
wrist acting as a “false thumb.” This is an
important adaptation because it helps them
handle bamboo leaves and poles. Since they
spend 90% of their day eating bamboo, this is
a great help.
Behavioral Adaptations
• One behavioral adaptation of the red panda is
that red pandas feed at night. This is an
important adaptation because it allows the
red panda to take its time catching its preysmall animals-and eat bamboo, without
having to worry about predators. Most
predators would be sleeping at that time of
the day.
More Behavioral Adaptatioins
• A second behavioral adaptation is that they
spend 13 hours a day foraging on bamboo.
This is an important adaptation because red
pandas must feed often and extensively
because they posses the simple digestive tract
of a carnivore and are thus inefficiant
processors of their cellulose- heavy bamboo
fodder. They do their best to conserve energy
from this low-nutrient diet-bamboo.
More Behavioral Adaptation
• A third behavioral adaptation is that red
pandas walk at a slow pace. This is an
important adaptation because bamboo has
little nutritional value. They walk at a slow
pace so that they conserve energy , for if a
predator tries to catch it.
• A fourth behavioral adaptation is that the red
panda growls. This is an important adaptation
because it warns predators to back off! This
growling keeps the predator from coming near
the panda,keeping it from eating the red
panda
Habitat
• The red panda lives in the cool climated
bamboo forests.
• It lives in China, Asia and is usually in the
regions of Sichuan and Yuman
• A red pandas red and white markings blend in
with the red mosses and white lichens that
grow on trees in which they live. This makes it
harder for a predator to see it.
• A red panda uses the trees in a bamboo forest
to climb. This gives them a place to sleep, and
stay away from predators.
Diet
• The red panda is an omnivore and typically
eats bamboo.
• It also eats small animals such as squirrels.
• Bamboo has low nutritional value, so red
pandas have to walk at a slow pace in order to
conserve energy.
• Red pandas cannot digest bamboo fibers very
well. Because of this, they have to eat a large
amount of bamboo in order to digest. 90% of
the food they eat a day is bamboo.
Food Chain
• Sun
•
•
Snow Leapard
Bamboo
Red Panda
Resources
• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/anima
ls/facts/