Red panda - wikipedia Red panda Red panda At the Cincinnati Zoo Conservation status Endangered ( IUCN 3.1 ) Scientific classification Kingdom : Animalia Phylum : Chordata Class : Mammalia Order : Carnivora Family : Ailuridae Genus : Ailurus F. Cuvier, 1825 Species : A. fulgens Binomial name Ailurus fulgens F. Cuvier, 1825 Subspecies A. f. fulgens F. Cuvier, 1825 A. f. styani Thomas, 1902 Range of the red panda The red panda ( Ailurus fulgens ), also called the lesser panda, the red bear - cat, and the red cat - bear, is a mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has reddish - brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs ; it is roughly the size of a domestic cat, though with a longer body and somewhat heavier. It is arboreal, feeds mainly on bamboo, but also eats eggs, birds, and insects. It is a solitary animal, mainly active from dusk to dawn, and is largely sedentary during the day. The red panda has been classified as endangered by the IUCN, because its wild population is estimated at less than 10,000 mature individuals and continues to decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and inbreeding depression, although red pandas are protected by national laws in their range countries. The red panda is the only living species of the genus Ailurus and the family Ailuridae. It has been previously placed in the raccoon and bear families, but the results of phylogenetic analysis provide strong support for its taxonomic classification in its own family, Ailuridae, which is part of the superfamily Musteloidea, along with the weasel, raccoon and skunk families. Two subspecies are recognized. It is not closely related to the giant panda, which is a basal ursid. Contents 1 Physical characteristics 2 Distribution and habitat 2.1 Distribution of subspecies 3 Biology and behavior 3.1 Behavior 3.2 Diet 3.3 Reproduction 4 Threats 5 Conservation 5.1 In situ initiatives 5.2 In captivity 6 As pets 7 Phylogenetics 7.1 Evolutionary history 7.2 Taxonomic history 8 Names 8.1 Names in its native range 8.2 English names 8.3 Names in other languages 9 Cultural depictions 10 References 10.1 Bibliography 11 Further reading 12 External links Physical characteristics Red panda descending head first Red panda skull The head and body length of a red panda measures 50 to 64 cm ( 20 to 25 in ), and its tail is 28 to 59 cm ( 11 to 23 in ). Males weigh 3.7 to 6.2 kg ( 8.2 to 13.7 lb ) and females 3 to 6.0 kg ( 6.6 to 13.2 lb ). 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 robust cranio - 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 blackish eyes. Their long, bushy tails with six alternating 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. The red panda is specialized as a bamboo feeder with strong, curved and sharp semi-retractile claws standing inward for grasping narrow tree branches, leaves, and fruit. Like the giant panda, it has a `` false thumb '', which 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. Distribution and habitat Red panda sleeping The red panda is endemic to the temperate forests of the Himalayas, and ranges from the foothills of western Nepal to China in the east. 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. A disjunct population inhabits the Meghalaya Plateau of north - eastern India. During a survey in the 1970s, signs of red pandas were found in Nepal 's Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Their presence was confirmed in spring 2007 when four red pandas were sighted at elevations ranging from 3,220 to 3,610 m ( 10,560 to 11,840 ft ). The species ' westernmost limit is in Rara National Park located farther west of the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Their presence was confirmed in 2008. The red panda lives between 2,200 and 4,800 m ( 7,200 and 15,700 ft ) altitude, inhabiting areas of moderate temperature between 10 and 25 ° C ( 50 and 77 ° F ) with little annual change. It prefers mountainous mixed deciduous and conifer forests, especially with old trees and dense understories of bamboo. The red panda population in Sichuan Province is larger and more stable than the Yunnan population, suggesting a southward expansion from Sichuan into Yunnan in the Holocene. The red panda has become extirpated from the Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Gansu, Shaanxi, and Qinghai. Distribution of subspecies Distribution of the red panda is disjointed, with two extant subspecies : Western red panda A. f. fulgens ( 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. A. f. styani has been described by Thomas in 1902 based on one skull from a specimen collected in Sichuan. Pocock distinguished A. f. styani from A. f. fulgens by its longer winter coat and greater blackness of the pelage, bigger skull, more strongly curved forehead, and more robust teeth. His description is based on skulls and skins collected in Sichuan, Myitkyina close to the border of Yunnan, and Upper Burma. 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. 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 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 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. This animal is very heat - sensitive, with an optimal `` well - being '' temperature between 17 and 25 ° C ( 63 and 77 ° F ), and can not tolerate temperatures over 25 ° C ( 77 ° F ). Red panda standing Shortly after waking, red pandas clean their fur somewhat like a cat would, 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, 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 use their forepaws alternately to bring food to their mouths or place food directly into their mouths. Predators of the red panda include the snow leopard, mustelids, 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. A red panda, Futa, became a visitor attraction in Japan for his ability to stand upright for ten seconds at a time. ( See also : facultative biped ) Diet Play media 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, maple and mulberry leaves, and bark and fruits of maple, beech, and mulberry. Like the giant panda, they can not 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. Red panda and its herbivore diet Bamboo shoots 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 1.5 kg ( 3.3 lb ) of fresh leaves and 4 kg ( 8.8 lb ) of fresh shoots daily. This food passes through the digestive tract fairly rapidly ( about 2 -- 4 hr ) so as to maximize daily nutrient intake. Red pandas can taste artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, and are the only non primates known to be able to do so. Reproduction Red panda tending its cub Red pandas are able to reproduce at 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. 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 ( usually 1 -- 2 ) blind and deaf cubs weighing 110 to 130 g ( 3.9 to 4.6 oz ) each. 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 achieve 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. A red panda 's average lifespan is between eight and 10 years, but individuals have been known to reach 15 years. Threats 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. 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. 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. 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 1,710 km ( 660 sq mi ) is preferred red panda habitat. Although direct competition for food with domestic livestock is not significant, livestock can depress bamboo growth by trampling. 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. 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. 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. In the past, red pandas were captured and sold to zoos. Angela Glatston reported she had personally handled 350 red pandas in 17 years. Due to CITES, this zoo harvest 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. The red panda has a naturally low birth rate ( usually one single or twin birth per year ), and a high death rate in the wild. Conservation Closeup of red panda Red panda resting on a tree The red panda is listed in CITES Appendix I. The species has been classified as 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 142,000 km ( 55,000 sq mi ) 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. Worldwide population estimates range from fewer than 2,500 to between 16,000 and 20,000 individuals. In 1999, the total population in China was estimated at between 3,000 and 7,000 individuals. In 2001, the wild population in India was estimated at between 5,000 and 6,000 individuals. Estimates for Nepal indicate only a few hundred individuals. 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 ; however, the accompanying photographic proof of the `` red panda '' is in fact a species of civet. The red panda is protected in all range countries, and hunting is illegal. Beyond this, conservation efforts are highly variable between countries : China has 35 protected areas, covering about 42.4 % of red panda habitat. India has 20 protected areas with known or possible red panda populations in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal such as Khangchendzonga, Namdapha and Singalila National Parks, and a coordinated conservation policy for the red panda. In Nepal, known populations occur in Langtang, Sagarmatha, Makalu Barun and Rara National Parks, Annapurna Conservation Area, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, and Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Bhutan has five protected areas that support red panda populations. Burma has 26 protected areas, of which at least one hosts red panda populations. 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 homestays. 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 200 km ( 77 sq mi ) at an altitude of 2,500 m ( 8,200 ft ) to over 4,000 m ( 13,000 ft ). In captivity Red panda at Prospect Park Zoo, New York 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. By 2001, 182 individuals were in North American zoos alone. 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 and 306 individuals of subspecies A. f. styani were kept in 81 institutions. 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 programs in Australia, India, Japan, and China. 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 has had more captive births worldwide. The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling, India, successfully released four captive - bred red pandas to the wild in August and November 2003. As pets Red panda in a ginkgo tree The most often cited example of keeping red pandas as pets is the case of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi. Pandas were presented to her family as a gift, and they were then housed in `` a special tree house ''. Phylogenetics Main article : 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 '' ). At various times, it has been placed in the Procyonidae, Ursidae, with Ailuropoda ( giant panda ) in the Ailuropodinae ( until this family was moved into the Ursidae ), and into 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. 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. Recent molecular systematic DNA research also places the red panda into its own family, Ailuridae, a part of the broad superfamily Musteloidea that also includes the skunk, raccoon, and weasel families. 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, p. 197 The two subspecies are A. f. fulgens and 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 '', making A. f. refulgens a nomen nudum. The most recent edition of Mammal Species of the World still shows the subspecies as A. f. refulgens. This has been corrected in more recent works, including A guide to the Mammals of China and Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 1 : Carnivores. Evolutionary History 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 like seals and walruses ; and members of the family Musteloidea like weasels and otters ) can be traced back to the Early Tertiary period tens of millions of years ago, with a wide distribution across Eurasia. Fossils of the extinct red panda Parailurus anglicus have been unearthed from China in the east to Britain in the west. In 1977, a single tooth of Parailurus was discovered in the Pliocene Ringold Formation of Washington. This first North American record is almost identical to European specimens and indicates the immigration of this species from Asia. 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. Additional fossils of Pristinailurus bristoli were discovered at the Gray Fossil Site in 2010 and in 2012. 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 -- independent of the giant panda 's adaptation to manipulate bamboo -- one of the most dramatic cases of convergent evolution among vertebrates. Taxonomic History 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. 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. 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 ''. He was the first to use both the binomial name Ailurus fulgens and the vernacular name panda in his description of the species published in 1825 in Histoire naturelle des mammifères. Ailurus is adopted from the ancient Greek word αἴλουρος ( ailouros ), meaning `` cat ''. The specific epithet fulgens is Latin for `` shining, bright ''. Panda is a Roman goddess of peace and travellers, who was called upon before starting a difficult journey. Whether this is the origin of the French vernacular name panda remains uncertain. Later publications claim the name was adopted from a Himalayan language. In 1847, Hodgson described a red panda under the name Ailurus ochraceus, of which Pocock concluded it represents the same 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. Names An illustration in the Chinese dictionary Zhonghua Da Zidian, 1915 Names in its native range The red panda 's local names differ from place to place. The Lepcha call it sak nam. In Nepal, it is called bhalu biralo ( bear - cat ) and habre. The Sherpa people of Nepal and Sikkim call it ye niglva ponva and wah donka. The word wậː is Sunuwari meaning bear ; in Tamang language, a small, red bear is called tāwām. In the Kanchenjunga region of eastern Nepal, the Limbus know red pandas as kaala ( literally `` dark '' ) because of their underside pelage ; villagers of Tibetan origin call them hoptongar. Additionally, Pocock lists the vernacular names ye and nigálya ponya ( Nepal ) ; thokya and thongwa ( Limbu ) ; oakdonga or wakdonka and woker ( Bhotia ) ; saknam sunam ( Lepcha ). Nigálya may originate from the Nepali word निङालो niṅālo or nĩgālo, a small bamboo, Arundinaria intermedia, but also refers to a kind of small leopard, or cat - bear. The word pónya may originate from the Nepali पञ्जा pajā ( `` claw '' ) or पौँजा paũjā ( `` paw '' ). Nigálya pónya may translate to `` bamboo claw / paw ''. Nigálya pónya, nyala ponga, and poonya are also said to mean `` eater of bamboo ''. The name panda could originate from panjā. In modern Chinese, the red panda is called xiăoxióngmāo ( 小 熊猫 / 小 熊貓, lesser or small panda ), or 红 熊猫 / 紅 熊貓 ( hóngxióngmāo, red panda ). In contrast, the giant panda is called dàxióngmāo ( 大 熊猫 / 大 熊貓, giant or big panda ), or simply xióngmāo ( 熊猫 / 熊貓, panda, literally bear - cat ). English names In English, the red panda is also called lesser panda ( since it is smaller than the giant panda ), though `` red '' is more commonly used nowadays. As it was known in the West decades before the giant panda, initially it was the red panda that was simply called `` panda ''. When distinction became necessary, the red panda was still considered the true panda and common panda. Other English names used in the past include fire fox, fire cat, red cat, fox bear, bright panda, and Himalayan raccoon. Names in other languages Many other languages also use `` red '' or variations of `` shining / gold '' or `` lesser / small '' in their names for this species. For instance, червена панда in Bulgarian, panda roux in French, panda rojo in Spanish, and Roter Panda in German all mean `` red panda ''. Since at least as far back as 1855, one of its French names has been panda éclatant ( shining panda ). In Finnish, it is called kultapanda ( gold panda ). Variations of `` lesser panda '' occur in French petit panda ( small panda ), German Kleiner Panda ( small panda ), Spanish panda menor ( lesser panda ), Dutch kleine panda ( small panda ), Russian малая панда ( malaya panda, `` small panda '' ), Korean 애기 판다 ( aeki panda, `` baby panda '' ), and Japanese レッサーパンダ ( ressā panda, a transliteration of English `` lesser panda '' ). Cultural depictions The red panda was recognized as the state animal of Sikkim in the early 1990s, and was the mascot of the Darjeeling Tea Festival. In 2005, Babu, a male red panda at Birmingham Nature Centre in Birmingham, England, escaped and briefly became a media celebrity, before being recaptured. He was subsequently voted `` Brummie of the Year '', the first animal to receive this honor. Rusty, a male red panda at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, similarly attracted media attention when he briefly escaped in 2013. The name of the open - source Firefox web browser is said to have been derived from a nickname of the red panda : `` fire fox ''. An anthropomorphic red panda was featured as Master Shifu, the kungfu teacher, in the 2008 film Kung Fu Panda, and its sequels Kung Fu Panda 2 in 2011 and Kung Fu Panda 3 in 2016. The red panda Futa inspired the character of Pabu, the so - called `` fire ferret '' animal companion ( primarily of Bolin ), in the U.S. animated TV series The Legend of Korra. References ^ Jump up to : Glatston, A. ; Wei, F. ; Than Zaw & Sherpa, A. ( 2015 ). `` Ailurus fulgens ''. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2015 : e. T714A110023718. doi : 10.2305 / IUCN. UK. 2015 - 4. RLTS. T714A45195924. en. Retrieved 15 January 2018. ^ Jump up to : Thomas, O. ( 1902 ). `` On the Panda of Sze - chuen ''. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. Seventh Series. X. 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( 2001 ). `` Genetic Diversity and Population History of the Red Panda ( Ailurus fulgens ) as Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Variations ''. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 18 ( 6 ) : 1070 -- 1076. doi : 10.1093 / oxfordjournals. molbev. a003878. PMID 11371595. ^ Jump up to : Wei, F. ; Feng, Z. ; Wang, Z. ; Hu, J. ( 1999 ). `` Current distribution, status and conservation of wild red pandas Ailurus fulgens in China ''. Biological Conservation. 89 ( 89 ) : 285 -- 291. doi : 10.1016 / S0006 - 3207 ( 98 ) 00156 - 6. ^ Jump up to : Glover, A.M. ( 1938 ). The Mammals of China and Mongolia. New York : American Museum of Natural History. pp. 314 -- 317. Jump up ^ `` Red Panda -- Diet ''. Rochester Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Red Panda ''. Birmingham Zoo. Retrieved 6 September 2016. Jump up ^ Wei, F ; Feng, Z. ; Wang, Z. ; Zhou, A. ; Hu, J. ( 1999 ). `` Use of the nutrients in bamboo by the red panda Ailurus fulgens ''. Journal of Zoology. 248 ( 4 ) : 535 -- 541. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1469 - 7998.1999. tb01053. x. Jump up ^ `` Pandas opt for low - cal sweeteners ''. BBC News. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008. ^ Jump up to : Nowak, R.M. ( 1999 ). Walker 's Mammals of the World. 2 ( sixth ed. ). Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 695 -- 696. ISBN 0 - 8018 - 5789 - 9. Jump up ^ Yonzon, P.B. ; Hunter Jr., M.L. ; Shobrak ; Habibi ( 1991 ). `` Conservation of the red panda Ailurus fulgens ''. Biological Conservation. 58 ( 57 ) : 85. doi : 10.1016 / 0006 - 3207 ( 91 ) 90046 - C. ^ Jump up to : Glatston 1994 Jump up ^ Glatston 1994 : 11 Jump up ^ World Wildlife Fund. `` I 'm a good luck charm. That 's my bad luck ''. Archived from the original on 17 December 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2009. Jump up ^ `` Appendices I, II and III ''. cites.org. CITES. Retrieved 8 December 2010. Jump up ^ Massicot, P. ( 2006 ). `` Animal Info : Red Panda ''. Retrieved 2 September 2008. Jump up ^ Glatston 1994 : viii Jump up ^ 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 pdf Jump up ^ Ghimire, N. ; Bhatta, S.D., eds. ( December 2010 ). `` Red Pandas from Choyatar ''. Headlines Himalaya. 138. CS1 maint : Date and year ( link ) ^ Jump up to : Roberts, M. ( 1992 ). `` Red Panda : The Fire Cat ''. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2009. Jump up ^ ARKive ( 2008 ). `` Red Panda ''. Retrieved 2 September 2008. ^ Jump up to : Glatston, Angela ( 2007 ). Red Panda International Studbook - Ailurus fulgens fulgens held in zoos in 2006 ( PDF ). Rotterdam Zoo. Retrieved 13 September 2009. ^ Jump up to : Glatston, Angela ( 2007 ). Red Panda International Studbook - Ailurus fulgens styani held in zoos in 2006 ( PDF ). Rotterdam Zoo. Retrieved 13 September 2009. ^ Jump up to : Srivastav, Anupam ; et al. ( July 2009 ). `` National Studbook of Red Panda ( Ailurus fulgens ) Data till May 2009 '' ( PDF ). Wildlife Institute of India. Retrieved 26 September 2009. CS1 maint : Explicit use of et al. ( link ) Jump up ^ Mahesh Rangarajan ( 2009 ). `` Striving for a balance : Nature, power, science and India 's Indira Gandhi, 1917 -- 1984 ''. Conservation and Society. 7 ( 4 ) : 299 -- 312. doi : 10.4103 / 0972 - 4923.65175. Jump up ^ Simpson DP ( 1979 ). Cassell 's Latin Dictionary ( 5th ed. ). London : Cassell Ltd. 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Princeton, N.J : Princeton University Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 691 - 09984 - 2. Jump up ^ Wilson, Don E. ; Mittermeier, Russell A., eds. ( 2009 ). Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 1 : Carnivores. Lynx Edicions. p. 503. ISBN 978 - 84 - 96553 - 49 - 1. ^ Jump up to : Naish, Darrin ( 5 April 2008 ). `` The once mighty red panda empire ''. Tetrapod Zoology. Archived from the original on 2 September 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2010. Jump up ^ Tedford, R.H. ; Gustafson, E.P. ( 1977 ). `` First North American record of the extinct panda Parailurus ''. Nature. 265 ( 5595 ) : 621 -- 623. Bibcode : 1977Natur. 265... 621T. doi : 10.1038 / 265621a0. Jump up ^ Wallace, Steven C. ; Wang, Xiaoming ( 30 September 2004 ). `` Two new carnivores from an unusual late Tertiary forest biota in eastern North America ''. Nature. 431 ( 7008 ) : 556 -- 559. Bibcode : 2004Natur. 431... 556W. doi : 10.1038 / nature02819. PMID 15457257. Jump up ^ Exclusive : Traces of Red Panda Found in Tennessee Archived 3 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine... AOl News, 9 August 2010. Retrieved : 23 November 2011. Jump up ^ Barber, Rex ( May 25, 2012 ). Second red panda skeleton uncovered at Gray Fossil Site. Johnson City Press. Retrieved : 2012 - 05 - 25. Jump up ^ Salesa, Manuel J. ; Mauricio, Antón ; Peigné, Stéphane ; Morales, Jorge ( 2006 ). `` Evidence of a false thumb in a fossil carnivore clarifies the evolution of pandas ''. PNAS. 103 ( 2 ) : 379 -- 382. Bibcode : 2006PNAS... 103... 379S. doi : 10.1073 / pnas. 0504899102. PMC 1326154. PMID 16387860. Jump up ^ Hardwicke, T. ( 1827 ). `` Description of a new Genus of the Class Mammalia, from the Himalaya Chain of Hills between Nepaul and the Snowy Mountains ''. The Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. ( in Latin and English ). Linnean Society of London. XV : 161 -- 165. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1095 - 8339.1826. tb00113. x. Jump up ^ Cuvier, G. ( 1829 ). Le règne animal distribué d'après son organisation. Tome 1. Chez Déterville, Paris. pp. 138 : Le Panda éclatant. Jump up ^ Cuvier, F. ( 1825 ) `` Ailurus. Ailurus fulgens. Panda. '' Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. 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 Jump up ^ `` Panda ''. NYPL Digital Gallery. 25 June 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010. Jump up ^ Perseus Digital Library. Greek Dictionary αἴλουρος Headword Search Result Jump up ^ Perseus Digital Library. Latin Dictionary fulgens Headword Search Result Jump up ^ Larousse, P. ( 1866 -- 77 ) Grand dictionnaire universel du XIXe siècle : français, historique, géographique, mythologique, bibliographique, littéraire, artistique, scientifique Panda ou Pantica Larousse et Boyer, Paris Jump up ^ Shrestha, T.K. ( 2003 ) Wildlife of Nepal : a study of renewable resources of Nepal Himalayas. Steven Simpson Books. ISBN 9993359025. Jump up ^ 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. online : see page 110 Archived 15 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Yonzon, P.B. ( 1996 ) Status of wildlife in the Kanchenjunga region. A reconnaissance study report. WWF Nepal Program, Kathmandu Jump up ^ Turner, R.L. `` A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language ''. Retrieved 10 December 2010. Jump up ^ Turner, R.L. `` A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language ''. Retrieved 10 December 2010. Jump up ^ Heuvelmans, Bernard ( 1958 ). On the Track of Unknown Animals. London : Rupert Hart - Davis. p. 48. Jump up ^ Glatston, Angela R. ( 2010 ). Red Panda : Biology and Conservation of the First Panda. William Andrew. p. 61. ISBN 1 - 4377 - 7813 - 5. Jump up ^ Catton, Chris ( 1990 ). Pandas. pp. 4 -- 5. ISBN 0 - 8160 - 2331 - X. Jump up ^ `` 小 熊貓 ''. MDBG Chinese - English Dictionary. 2011. Jump up ^ `` 紅 熊貓 ''. MDBG Chinese - English Dictionary. 2011. ^ Jump up to : Virginia C. Holmgren ( 1990 ). Raccoons. Capra Press. p. 150. ISBN 978 - 0 - 88496 - 312 - 7. After the giant panda was named, the original panda needed an identifying adjective. Several were used including `` shining panda '' as Cuvier had originally labeled it, `` true panda, '' `` common panda '' -- because it was more abundant than the giant, -- or `` lesser panda '' to mark its smaller size. Jump up ^ `` Panda ( mammal, Ailurus species ) ''. Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2013 - 05 - 15. Retrieved 2017 - 01 - 23. Jump up ^ The Illustrated London News. Illustrated London News & Sketch Limited. 1958. p. 1004. the wide popularity of the giant panda, the claims of the true panda, sometimes called the lesser panda, to distinguish it from its more glamorous rival, are apt to receive less attention than they deserve. At least the true panda has history on its side, for it was known to Europeans long before the giant panda, which was not introduced to us until 1869 Jump up ^ Animal Kingdom. New York Zoological Society. 1972. p. xlii. it was now obvious that the other panda also needed an official distinguishing adjective for an everyday name - tag. Among those already in use were true panda, shining panda, common panda, red panda, and lesser panda, but there has been little agreement about a single choice. Jump up ^ Sûrya India. A. Anand. 1985. p. 35. Cat Bear, Fox Cat, Fire Fox, Himalayan Raccoon are names that have been used to identify this furry, cuddly animal Jump up ^ Gervais, M. Paul ( 1855 ). Histoire naturelle des mammifères avec l'indication de leurs moeurs et de leurs rapports avec les arts, le commerce et l'agriculture ( in French ). 2. L. Curmer. p. 23. Jump up ^ `` The Official Website of the Government of Sikkim ''. Government of Sikkim. Retrieved 15 November 2010. ^ Jump up to : `` Red panda boosts visitor numbers ''. BBC Online. 24 January 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2011. ^ Jump up to : Bounds, Jon. `` Brummie of the Year 2005 ''. Birmingham : It 's Not Shit. Retrieved 12 January 2011. Jump up ^ Gabriel, T. ( 24 June 2013 ). `` A Panda Escapes From the Zoo, and Social Media Swoop In With the Net ''. New York Times. Retrieved 25 June 2013. Jump up ^ Day, P.K. ( 24 June 2013 ). `` Rusty the red panda went missing and ABC News was on the case ''. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Firefox name FAQ ''. Mozilla. Archived from the original on 28 February 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` Red panda ''. BBC Nature. Retrieved 20 August 2014. Jump up ^ Gorman, James ( 17 August 2015 ). `` Red Pandas Are Adorable and in Trouble ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 8 November 2017. Jump up ^ Konietzko, Bryan ( 28 September 2012 ). `` Years ago, on the Avatar production,... '' Retrieved 29 September 2012. Bibliography IUCN ; SSC Mustelid, Viverrid & Procyonid Specialist Group ( 1994 ). A.R. Glatston, ed. The Red Panda, Olingos, Coatis, Raccoons, and Their Relatives ( PDF ). Gland, Switzerland : IUCN. ISBN 2 - 8317 - 0046 - 9. Retrieved 9 January 2010. Further reading ITIS ( USDA Integrated Taxonomic Information System ). `` Ailurus fulgens ( Taxonomical Serial No. : 621846 ) ''. Retrieved 24 October 2009. Slattery, J. Pecon ; O'Brien, S.J. ( 1995 ). `` Molecular phylogeny of the red panda ( Ailurus fulgens ) ''. The Journal of Heredity. Oxford University Press. 86 ( 6 ) : 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. 27 -- 52. Miyashiro ( 25 August 2006 ). `` Background information on the question : `` Do Pandas Really Exist ? '' '' ( PDF ). New Mexico Tech. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2010. Naish, Darren ( 3 April 2008 ). `` Nigayla - ponya, firefox, true panda : its life and times ''. Tetrapod Zoology. Retrieved 9 January 2010. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to : Ailurus fulgens ( category ) Wikispecies has information related to Ailurus fulgens Red Panda Network, USA -- a non-profit organization dedicated to red panda conservation Red Panda Network, Nepal Animal Diversity Web Ailurus fulgens Animal Info : Red Panda Birmingham Nature Centre -- UK breeding program Extant Carnivora species Kingdom : Animalia Phylum : Chordata Class : Mammalia Infraclass : Eutheria Superorder : Laurasiatheria Suborder Feliformia Nandiniidae Nandinia African palm civet ( N. binotata ) Herpestidae ( Mongooses ) Atilax Marsh mongoose ( A. paludinosus ) Bdeogale Bushy - tailed mongoose ( B. crassicauda ) Jackson 's mongoose ( B. jacksoni ) Black - footed mongoose ( B. nigripes ) Crossarchus Alexander 's kusimanse ( C. alexandri ) Angolan kusimanse ( C. ansorgei ) Common kusimanse ( C. obscurus ) Flat - headed kusimanse ( C. platycephalus ) Cynictis Yellow mongoose ( C. penicillata ) Dologale Pousargues 's mongoose ( D. dybowskii ) Galerella Angolan slender mongoose ( G. flavescens ) Black mongoose ( G. nigrata ) Somalian slender mongoose ( G. ochracea ) Cape gray mongoose ( G. pulverulenta ) Slender mongoose ( G. sanguinea ) Helogale Ethiopian dwarf mongoose ( H. hirtula ) Common dwarf mongoose ( H. parvula ) Herpestes Short - tailed mongoose ( H. brachyurus ) Indian gray mongoose ( H. edwardsii ) Indian brown mongoose ( H. fuscus ) Egyptian mongoose ( H. ichneumon ) Small Asian mongoose ( H. javanicus ) Long - nosed mongoose ( H. naso ) Collared mongoose ( H. semitorquatus ) Ruddy mongoose ( H. smithii ) Crab - eating mongoose ( H. urva ) Stripe - necked mongoose ( H. vitticollis ) Ichneumia White - tailed mongoose ( I. albicauda ) Liberiictus Liberian mongoose ( L. kuhni ) Mungos Gambian mongoose ( M. gambianus ) Banded mongoose ( M. mungo ) Paracynictis Selous ' mongoose ( P. selousi ) Rhynchogale Meller 's mongoose ( R. melleri ) Suricata Meerkat ( S. suricatta ) Hyaenidae ( Hyenas ) Crocuta Spotted hyena ( C. crocuta ) Hyaena Brown hyena ( H. brunnea ) Striped hyena ( H. hyaena ) Proteles Aardwolf ( P. cristatus ) Felidae Large family listed below Viverridae Large family listed below Eupleridae Small family listed below Family Felidae Felinae Acinonyx Cheetah ( A. jubatus ) Caracal Caracal ( C. caracal ) African golden cat ( C. aurata ) Catopuma Bay cat ( C. badia ) Asian golden cat ( C. temminckii ) Felis European wildcat ( F. silvestris ) African wildcat ( F. lybica ) Jungle cat ( F. chaus ) Black - footed cat ( F. nigripes ) Sand cat ( F. margarita ) Chinese mountain cat ( F. bieti ) Domestic cat ( F. catus ) Leopardus Ocelot ( L. pardalis ) Margay ( L. wiedii ) Pampas cat ( L. colocola ) Geoffroy 's cat ( L. geoffroyi ) Kodkod ( L. guigna ) Andean mountain cat ( L. jacobita ) Oncilla ( L. tigrinus ) Southern tigrina ( L. guttulus ) Leptailurus Serval ( L. serval ) Lynx Canadian lynx ( L. canadensis ) Eurasian lynx ( L. lynx ) Iberian lynx ( L. pardinus ) Bobcat ( L. rufus ) Otocolobus Pallas 's cat ( O. manul ) Pardofelis Marbled cat ( P. marmorata ) Prionailurus Fishing cat ( P. viverrinus ) Leopard cat ( P. bengalensis ) Sundaland leopard cat ( P. javanensis ) Flat - headed cat ( P. planiceps ) Rusty - spotted cat ( P. rubiginosus ) Puma Cougar ( P. concolor ) Herpailurus Jaguarundi ( H. yagouaroundi ) Pantherinae Panthera Lion ( P. leo ) Jaguar ( P. onca ) Leopard ( P. pardus ) Tiger ( P. tigris ) Snow leopard ( P. uncia ) Neofelis Clouded leopard ( N. nebulosa ) Sunda clouded leopard ( N. diardi ) Family Viverridae ( includes Civets ) Paradoxurinae Arctictis Binturong ( A. binturong ) Arctogalidia Small - toothed palm civet ( A. trivirgata ) Macrogalidia Sulawesi palm civet ( M. musschenbroekii ) Paguma Masked palm civet ( P. larvata ) Paradoxurus Golden wet - zone palm civet ( P. aureus ) Asian palm civet ( P. hermaphroditus ) Jerdon 's palm civet ( P. jerdoni ) Golden palm civet ( P. zeylonensis ) Hemigalinae Chrotogale Owston 's palm civet ( C. owstoni ) Cynogale Otter civet ( C. bennettii ) Diplogale Hose 's palm civet ( D. hosei ) Hemigalus Banded palm civet ( H. derbyanus ) Prionodontinae ( Asiatic linsangs ) Prionodon Banded linsang ( P. linsang ) Spotted linsang ( P. pardicolor ) Viverrinae Civettictis African civet ( C. civetta ) Genetta ( Genets ) Abyssinian genet ( G. abyssinica ) Angolan genet ( G. angolensis ) Bourlon 's genet ( G. bourloni ) Crested servaline genet ( G. cristata ) Common genet ( G. genetta ) Johnston 's genet ( G. johnstoni ) Rusty - spotted genet ( G. maculata ) Pardine genet ( G. pardina ) Aquatic genet ( G. piscivora ) King genet ( G. poensis ) Servaline genet ( G. servalina ) Haussa genet ( G. thierryi ) Cape genet ( G. tigrina ) Giant forest genet ( G. victoriae ) Poiana African linsang ( P. richardsonii ) Leighton 's linsang ( P. leightoni ) Viverra Malabar large - spotted civet ( V. civettina ) Large - spotted civet ( V. megaspila ) Malayan civet ( V. tangalunga ) Large Indian civet ( V. zibetha ) Viverricula Small Indian civet ( V. indica ) Family Eupleridae Euplerinae Cryptoprocta Fossa ( C. ferox ) Eupleres Eastern falanouc ( E. goudotii ) Western falanouc ( E. major ) Fossa Malagasy civet ( F. fossana ) Galidiinae Galidia Ring - tailed mongoose ( G. elegans ) Galidictis Broad - striped Malagasy mongoose ( G. fasciata ) Grandidier 's mongoose ( G. grandidieri ) Mungotictis Narrow - striped mongoose ( M. decemlineata ) Salanoia Brown - tailed mongoose ( S. concolor ) Durrell 's vontsira ( S. durrelli ) Suborder Caniformia ( cont. below ) Ursidae ( Bears ) Ailuropoda Giant panda ( A. melanoleuca ) Helarctos Sun bear ( H. malayanus ) Melursus Sloth bear ( M. ursinus ) Tremarctos Spectacled bear ( T. ornatus ) Ursus American black bear ( U. americanus ) Brown bear ( U. arctos ) Polar bear ( U. maritimus ) Asian black bear ( U. thibetanus ) Mephitidae Conepatus ( Hog - nosed skunks ) Molina 's hog - nosed skunk ( C. chinga ) Humboldt 's hog - nosed skunk ( C. humboldtii ) American hog - nosed skunk ( C. leuconotus ) Striped hog - nosed skunk ( C. semistriatus ) Mephitis Hooded skunk ( M. macroura ) Striped skunk ( M. mephitis ) Mydaus Sunda stink badger ( M. javanensis ) Palawan stink badger ( M. marchei ) Spilogale ( Spotted skunks ) Southern spotted skunk ( S. angustifrons ) Western spotted skunk ( S. gracilis ) Eastern spotted skunk ( S. putorius ) Pygmy spotted skunk ( S. pygmaea ) Procyonidae Bassaricyon ( Olingos ) Eastern lowland olingo ( B. alleni ) Northern olingo ( B. gabbii ) Western lowland olingo ( B. medius ) Olinguito ( B. neblina ) Bassariscus Ring - tailed cat ( B. astutus ) Cacomistle ( B. sumichrasti ) Nasua ( Coatis inclusive ) White - nosed coati ( N. narica ) South American coati ( N. nasua ) Nasuella ( Coatis inclusive ) Western mountain coati ( N. olivacea ) Eastern mountain coati ( N. meridensis ) Potos Kinkajou ( P. flavus ) Procyon Crab - eating raccoon ( P. cancrivorus ) Raccoon ( P. lotor ) Cozumel raccoon ( P. pygmaeus ) Ailuridae Ailurus Red panda ( A. fulgens ) Suborder Caniformia ( cont. above ) Otariidae ( Eared seals ) ( includes fur seals and sea lions ) ( Pinniped inclusive ) Arctocephalus South American fur seal ( A. australis ) Australasian fur seal ( A. forsteri ) Galápagos fur seal ( A. galapagoensis ) Antarctic fur seal ( A. gazella ) Juan Fernández fur seal ( A. philippii ) Brown fur seal ( A. pusillus ) Guadalupe fur seal ( A. townsendi ) Subantarctic fur seal ( A. tropicalis ) Callorhinus Northern fur seal ( C. ursinus ) Eumetopias Steller sea lion ( E. jubatus ) Neophoca Australian sea lion ( N. cinerea ) Otaria South American sea lion ( O. flavescens ) Phocarctos New Zealand sea lion ( P. hookeri ) Zalophus California sea lion ( Z. californianus ) Galápagos sea lion ( Z. wollebaeki ) Odobenidae ( Pinniped inclusive ) Odobenus Walrus ( O. rosmarus ) Phocidae ( Earless seals ) ( Pinniped inclusive ) Cystophora Hooded seal ( C. cristata ) Erignathus Bearded seal ( E. barbatus ) Halichoerus Gray seal ( H. grypus ) Histriophoca Ribbon seal ( H. fasciata ) Hydrurga Leopard seal ( H. leptonyx ) Leptonychotes Weddell seal ( L. weddellii ) Lobodon Crabeater seal ( L. carcinophagus ) Mirounga ( Elephant seals ) Northern elephant seal ( M. angustirostris ) Southern elephant seal ( M. leonina ) Monachus Mediterranean monk seal ( M. monachus ) Hawaiian monk seal ( M. schauinslandi ) Ommatophoca Ross seal ( O. rossi ) Pagophilus Harp seal ( P. groenlandicus ) Phoca Spotted seal ( P. largha ) Harbor seal ( P. vitulina ) Pusa Caspian seal ( P. caspica ) Ringed seal ( P. hispida ) Baikal seal ( P. sibirica ) Canidae Large family listed below Mustelidae Large family listed below Family Canidae ( includes dogs ) Atelocynus Short - eared dog ( A. microtis ) Canis Side - striped jackal ( C. adustus ) African golden wolf ( C. anthus ) Golden jackal ( C. aureus ) Coyote ( C. latrans ) Gray wolf ( C. lupus ) Black - backed jackal ( C. mesomelas ) Red wolf ( C. rufus ) Ethiopian wolf ( C. simensis ) Cerdocyon Crab - eating fox ( C. thous ) Chrysocyon Maned wolf ( C. brachyurus ) Cuon Dhole ( C. alpinus ) Lycalopex Culpeo ( L. culpaeus ) Darwin 's fox ( L. fulvipes ) South American gray fox ( L. griseus ) Pampas fox ( L. gymnocercus ) Sechuran fox ( L. sechurae ) Hoary fox ( L. vetulus ) Lycaon African wild dog ( L. pictus ) Nyctereutes Raccoon dog ( N. procyonoides ) Otocyon Bat - eared fox ( O. megalotis ) Speothos Bush dog ( S. venaticus ) Urocyon Gray fox ( U. cinereoargenteus ) Island fox ( U. littoralis ) Vulpes ( Foxes ) Bengal fox ( V. bengalensis ) Blanford 's fox ( V. cana ) Cape fox ( V. chama ) Corsac fox ( V. corsac ) Tibetan sand fox ( V. ferrilata ) Arctic fox ( V. lagopus ) Kit fox ( V. macrotis ) Pale fox ( V. pallida ) Rüppell 's fox ( V. rueppelli ) Swift fox ( V. velox ) Red fox ( V. vulpes ) Fennec fox ( V. zerda ) Family Mustelidae Lutrinae ( Otters ) Aonyx African clawless otter ( A. capensis ) Oriental small - clawed otter ( A. cinerea ) Enhydra Sea otter ( E. lutris ) Hydrictis Spotted - necked otter ( H. maculicollis ) Lontra North American river otter ( L. canadensis ) Marine otter ( L. felina ) Neotropical otter ( L. longicaudis ) Southern river otter ( L. provocax ) Lutra Eurasian otter ( L. lutra ) Hairy - nosed otter ( L. sumatrana ) Lutrogale Smooth - coated otter ( L. perspicillata ) Pteronura Giant otter ( P. brasiliensis ) Mustelinae ( including badgers ) Arctonyx Hog badger ( A. collaris ) Eira Tayra ( E. barbara ) Galictis Lesser grison ( G. cuja ) Greater grison ( G. vittata ) Gulo Wolverine ( G. gulo ) Ictonyx Saharan striped polecat ( I. libyca ) Striped polecat ( I. striatus ) Lyncodon Patagonian weasel ( L. patagonicus ) Martes ( Martens ) American marten ( M. americana ) Yellow - throated marten ( M. flavigula ) Beech marten ( M. foina ) Nilgiri marten ( M. gwatkinsii ) European pine marten ( M. martes ) Japanese marten ( M. melampus ) Sable ( M. zibellina ) Pekania Fisher ( P. pennanti ) Meles Japanese badger ( M. anakuma ) Asian badger ( M. leucurus ) European badger ( M. meles ) Mellivora Honey badger ( M. capensis ) Melogale ( Ferret - badgers ) Bornean ferret - badger ( M. everetti ) Chinese ferret - badger ( M. moschata ) Javan ferret - badger ( M. orientalis ) Burmese ferret - badger ( M. personata ) Mustela ( Weasels and Ferrets ) Amazon weasel ( M. africana ) Mountain weasel ( M. altaica ) Stoat ( M. erminea ) Steppe polecat ( M. eversmannii ) Colombian weasel ( M. felipei ) Long - tailed weasel ( M. frenata ) Japanese weasel ( M. itatsi ) Yellow - bellied weasel ( M. kathiah ) European mink ( M. lutreola ) Indonesian mountain weasel ( M. lutreolina ) Black - footed ferret ( M. nigripes ) Least weasel ( M. nivalis ) Malayan weasel ( M. nudipes ) European polecat ( M. putorius ) Siberian weasel ( M. sibirica ) Back - striped weasel ( M. strigidorsa ) Egyptian weasel ( M. subpalmata ) Neovison ( Minks ) American mink ( N. vison ) Poecilogale African striped weasel ( P. albinucha ) Taxidea American badger ( T. taxus ) Vormela Marbled polecat ( V. peregusna ) Taxon identifiers Wd : Q41960 ADW : Ailurus_fulgens ARKive : ailurus - fulgens BioLib : 1813 EoL : 327984 Fossilworks : 157499 GBIF : 5219446 ITIS : 621846 IUCN : 714 MSW : 14001690 NCBI : 9649 Species+ : 7583 GND : 4164121 - 8 NDL : 00958127 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Red_panda&oldid=839399092 '' Categories : IUCN Red List endangered species Mammals described in 1825 EDGE species Mammals of East Asia Fauna of South Asia Fauna of the Himalayas Living fossils Mammals of Bhutan Mammals of Myanmar Mammals of China Mammals of India Mammals of Laos Mammals of Nepal Wildlife of Yunnan Ailuridae Hidden categories : Articles with inconsistent citation formats CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list CS1 maint : Date and year CS1 maint : Explicit use of et al. 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Question: when did the red panda first appear on earth
Answer: the Early Tertiary period tens of millions of years ago