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Where do red pandas live? And other red panda facts

Red pandas live in the Eastern Himalayas in places like China, Nepal, and Bhutan

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A red panda surrounded by green foliage

© naturepl.com / Anup Shah / WWF-Canon

Red pandas, the russet-furred forest dwellers, spend much of their time in the trees. Unfortunately, they're experiencing a loss of crucial nesting trees and diet staples like bamboo, leading to a decline in population. Read on to learn more about these creatures and what WWF is doing to help. 

1. Where do red pandas live?

A red panda with russet fur sits high in a tree and looks at the camera

© Sylvain Cordier / naturepl.com / WWF

Red pandas live in the Eastern Himalayas in places like China, Nepal, and Bhutan. They spend most of their time in trees. Their semi-retractable claws help them move easily from branch to branch.

2. How do red pandas use their tails?

A red panda curls up on itself while sitting on a tree limb in the snow.

© naturepl.com / Juan Carlos Munoz / WWF-Canon

Red pandas rely on their long, bushy tails for balance as they cross tree branches. They also wrap it around themselves for warmth during the winter months.

3. What threats do red pandas face?

Red panda habitat is in decline. The loss of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern Himalayas—the location of almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat—is causing a decline in red panda populations across much of their range. WWF works with local communities to reduce human impact on the species’ habitat.

A red panda with russet fur climbs on a branch near the forest floor with a boulder in the background

© Fritz Pölking / WWF

4. Do red pandas live in groups?

Close up of a red panda's russet and white face with its mouth open and pink tongue showing

© Martin Harvey / WWF

These rusty-furred creatures tend to live alone, only rarely traveling in pairs or families.

5. How big are red pandas?

Red pandas measure in at just larger than a domestic cat, making them much smaller than the famous giant pandas.

6. What do red pandas eat?

A red panda with russet fur uses a paw to pull a bamboo leaf closer to its mouth

© Ola Jennersten / WWF-Sweden

Red pandas feed mainly on leaves and bamboo, but occasionally snack on fruit, insects, bird eggs, and small lizards, too.

7. How does WWF protect red pandas?

WWF monitors red pandas and their habitat across India, Nepal, and Bhutan to better understand the species. We also work with yak herders and other community groups in Nepal to reduce human impact on the red panda’s fragile habitat. 

A red panda plush against a white background

© WWF

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