Red pandas were classified within the raccoon family.
The giant panda, which has become the emblem of a well-known conservation organization, is known as the bamboo bear. However, zoologists have long debated which family—bears or raccoons—these animals belong to. As a result, modern classification places the giant panda in the bear family.
For a long time, the red panda (Ailurus fulgens), considered a 'relative' of the giant panda, was classified within the raccoon family, but eventually, a separate family was designated for this species.
Externally, red pandas bear no resemblance to their larger relatives. The weight of a red panda is about 5 kg, with a body length of approximately 55 cm and a tail length of 35–40 cm. Their diet consists of 95% bamboo, and they prefer the young and tender parts of the plant, spending 12 to 14 hours a day searching for food and feeding.
The homeland of red pandas is the southeastern Himalayas, where they inhabit altitudes of 2000 to 4000 m above sea level. Their thick reddish fur and very fluffy tail protect them from the whims of the local climate, and they wrap their tail around themselves like a scarf while sleeping, settling in the forks of branches.
