A map showing the different locations where red pandas are found.
Photo of the Himalayen Mountains.
Fact: Red panda eats 200, 000 leaves of bamboo per day. Due to low caloric value of the leaves, red panda rests most of the day because it needs to conserve the energy.
Population Characteristics The red panda lives in bamboo forests of the Himalayen and Heng-Duan Mountains. It's habitat extends through Nepel, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Southwestern China. With an estimate based on the lowest recorded average density (1 individual per
4.4km2) and the total area of potential habitat (142,000km2 with only about half of this atually being used by the species) it is estimated that its global population is fewer than 10,000 mature individuals (IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, n.d). In China, the population is estimated to between 3,000 to 7,000 individuals while India is estimated to have 5,000 to 6,000 individuals. Due to the red panda living in trees and being shy in nature, they are very difficult to find. The red panda population exhibits a random distribution pattern because they are known to be solitary and sparsely distributed. In a research study, the red panda exibited a high genetic variation despite the decline in their population due to human activity and their natural predators.The adult red panda's have a low death rate and the breeding of the red panda is very successful. As long efforts are made to protect the natural habitat of the red panda, the recovery of the red panda population should be expected. The carrying capacity is the maximum number of red pandas that can survive in any given ecosystem. This number is based on limiting factors that reduce the population of red pandas. Some of these factors include: - The number of bamboo, mice, insects and berries. - The amount of water to drink. - The amout of suitable habitat. - The number of predators. -The deforestation of their habitat.