Tonight, the Night Safari resident to take centrestage
is...
The Red
Panda!!!
Is it a panda or is it a racoon?? 
Their closest relative is actually the giant panda, but they
resemble racoons. Red Pandas are also known as a 'lesser panda'.
Got
discrimination amongst bears too!
The Chinese name for red panda is hunho or firefox, due to their
colour and similar size to a fox.
Red Pandas are secretive and gentle creatures, spending most of the
day sleeping curled up with their tail wrapped around their head.
(In other words, NUA! )
Red pandas have a bear-like body with thick russet fur. The belly
and limbs are black and there are white markings on the side of the
head and above the small eyes. They have thick bushy tails with
light-brown rings, pointed ears and a pointed snout. They are
usually 50-63 cm long and typically weigh about 4-6 kgs. Like giant
pandas, red pandas have an extra 'thumb' which is simply an
enlarged bone. They are slow-moving on the ground but are
remarkably agile in the trees.
Red pandas mainly feed on bamboo, but also eat acorns, roots,
berries, lichens and occasionally eggs and young birds. A red panda
can consume up to 45% of its own body weight daily by eating
approximately 200,000 bamboo leaves.
The Red Panda is an endangered species and are protected in Nepal
and China.
