Animal
Red panda
A red-furred mountain forest dweller uses its tail, claws and an extra wrist grip.
Content language
A red panda's reddish coat contrasts with its white cheeks and pale ear tips. Dark rings mark the long, bushy tail, while the belly and legs are darker than the back. In the wild it inhabits damp Himalayan mountain forests, from Nepal to China and Myanmar. Its thick coat suits a cool mountain environment, far removed from the usual image of tropical jungle.
The panda moves skilfully through trees. Partly retractable claws help maintain its grip, while the tail provides balance. It also has a false thumb, a special projection of a wrist bone. This extra grip is useful when holding bamboo. It is not another ordinary finger, but a different use of an existing part of the skeleton.
Bamboo shoots and leaves form the basis of its diet. Red pandas are most active at night, dawn and dusk; during the day they often rest in trees or shelters. A motionless animal lying on a branch is therefore not necessarily ill or bored. Destroying forests and breaking them into small fragments reduces both resting places and access to food.
For children
A red panda has reddish fur, white cheeks and a long tail with dark rings. Its wild home is a damp mountain forest where bamboo grows. It lives in the Himalayas and nearby parts of Asia.
Claws help it grip branches, and its tail helps it balance. Beside its paw is an unusual grip called a false thumb. This is a projecting part of a wrist bone, not an extra ordinary finger. The panda uses it to hold bamboo while eating.
Bamboo leaves and shoots are its main food. It is busiest at night, dawn and dusk. During the day it may rest quietly in a tree. Cutting down the forest removes both its home and its food supply, which is why protecting mountain forests matters so much.
Question 1 of 2
What is a red panda’s false thumb?
- Location
- Enclosure marked with the animal’s name within the zoo