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Red pandas a playful creatures, much smaller than giant pandas, and are the only living member of their taxonomic family.
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Red pandas are generally quiet, but subtle vocalizations—such as squeals, twitters and huff-quacks—can be heard at close proximity. They may also hiss or grunt, and young cubs use a whistle, or high-pitched bleat, to signal distress.
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Did you know that red pandas share the giant panda's pseudo-thumb? A modified wrist bone used to grasp bamboo when feeding.
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Red pandas have a dense wooly undercoat covered by long, coarse hairs which help protect them from harsh winds and the cold. And with their long, bushy tails to help them maintain balance.
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Interestingly enough, red pandas only spend about 45% of their day awake. They also tend to be way more active in cooler weather, especially during the winter mating sason.
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And unlike the giant panda who consume nearly every above-ground portion of bamboo, red panda's feed selectively on the most nutritious leaf tips and, when available, tender shoots.
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Red pandas are solitary animals by nature. In human care, most breeding pairs live together year-round. In the wild, the home range of one animal is about 1 square mile.
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Red pandas are endangered and are legally protected in India, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Myanmar. Their primary threats are habitat loss and degradation, human interference and poaching.
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Red pandas are born completely covered in fur to protect them from the cold environment. Newborns weigh 3 to 4 ounces (about 90 to 110 grams). The offspring stay with the mother for about one year, which is about when they are full-grown.
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Oh, and did we mention just how insanely adorable they are?