September 18, 2021, is widely celebrated as International Red Panda Day. The actual cause behind the occurrence of this day is to emphasize the plight of the adorable red pandas in the wild and to gather support for the global conservation endeavors to protect and save them.

Listed on the IUCN (International Union For Conservation of Nature) Red List as endangered, the population of Red Pandas has significantly declined by 50% over the last 18 years and is, unfortunately, continuing to decline and there could be as few as 2,500 left in the wild. What's causing this decline? Well, the major threats they face include habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and the illegal pet trade. Although these animals are very cute, they are not considered friendly pets.

Due to the drop in available opportunities to live and thrive in their natural habitat, Red Pandas are struggling. International Red Panda Day aspires to urge people and communities to learn about these adorable creatures and help save the biome in which they live. So, let's learn more about the Red Pandas.

More About The Red Pandas

Are Red Pandas bears or raccoons? Neither. Red pandas might look similar to them but are the only living member of their taxonomic family, Ailuridae, making it crucial to protect this rare species.

Though their tricky nature makes it difficult to get precise measures on population numbers, they tend to spend most of their time up in trees. Since their paws are covered with fur, they don’t leave footprints when roaming on the ground. Red pandas are fond of bamboo but, unlike their larger relatives, they also like eating many other foods like —fruit, acorns, roots, and even eggs.

Source: World Atlas

These little creatures are smaller than most people as well as the more familiar black and white pandas. In fact, they only grow up to the size of a cat and are not related to giant pandas at all. Red pandas generally weigh between 5 to 9 kgs. These adorable mammals live in the trees of the Himalayan Mountains as they are native to the Eastern Himalayas and can sometimes still be found there.

How can we protect the Red Panda?

The way to conserve the red panda is to preserve its small and specialized habitat. The Red Panda Network is a nonprofit organization that protects red pandas and their habitat by working with local community groups to establish wildlife corridors, train “forest guardians” to raise awareness about red pandas, and work with villagers to establish protected areas. You can get involved by spreading awareness, donating and fundraising, taking part in ecotourism, and working against the red panda trade.

Are you someone who loves to read about the incredible fauna of our home planet? Well then, stay tuned to our Animal Kingdom series, because we will soon be back with insights on more rare animal species.

In case you are looking forward to adding some fun to your learning methods, head to the Practically app to uncover an immersive learning experience via lifelike simulations, 3D videos, and AR experiences.

#redpanda #internationalredpandaday #pandas #internationalredpandaday2021 #animals #amazinganimals #animalplanet #3Dvideos #AR #simulations #practically #learnpractically #learningapp