Rare Red Panda Cubs Born In Britain

I am trying to remember what rock I've been hiding under to miss the existence of these marvelous creatures, for I had never even heard of them. What amazing features and colors, with a somewhat charming set of markings. They look part fox, part raccoon, part badger, and I guess I can see some panda in there.
These cubs are the first to be born in 6 years in Devon. Hooray for preservation!
In appreciation for the beauty in Earth and it's wildlife, I thought this would make a nice addition.
Not much conspiracy, other then giving these guys a little exposure because they are rare.

The boy and girl cubs, which arrived in July, were the first to be born at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon for six years. ''Red panda cubs are slow to make an appearance as they continue their development in the nest after birth, like badgers and foxes,'' he said.
''With its rusty red coat and a long bushy tail, it resembles a raccoon more than a panda.
''It is mainly nocturnal and spends most of its time curled on a branch with its tail over its head. It lives in pairs and forms small family groups.'
The cubs were born to parents Randy, aged three, and six-year-old mother Mandy.
Randy came to Paignton from Dortmund Zoo in Germany in September 2008 and Mandy arrived from Dublin Zoo the previous January.
The red or lesser panda comes from the mountains of Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal.
It lives in high altitude forest and eats bamboo shoots, grass, roots, fruit, acorns and occasionally mice and birds.
The panda has fur on the pads of its paws to help keep heat in and to prevent it slipping on wet or snowy surfaces.
The female has one or two young after a gestation period of 90 to 150 days and the young stay with the mother until they are a year old.
The red panda is classed as ''vulnerable'' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which means it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
It has legal protection in Nepal and China, and can be found in several national parks.
Conservation breeding programmes in zoos are co-ordinated worldwide.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

The Red Panda is found mainly in temperate forests in the Himalayas, especially in the foothills of western Nepal, southern Tibet, Sikkim, Assam and Bhutan, in the northern mountains of Myanmar, and in southern China in the provinces of Sichuan (Hengduan Mountains) and Yunnan (Gongshan Mountains). It may also live in southwest Tibet and northern Arunachal Pradesh, but this has not been documented.[27] The Red Panda has become extinct in the Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Gansu, Shaanxi and Qinghai.[39]
The effective population size of the Sichuan population is larger and more stable than that of the Yunnan population, implying a southward expansion from Sichuan to Yunnan.[40] Locations with the highest density of Red Pandas include an area in the Himalayas that has been proposed as having been a refuge for a variety of endemic species in the Pleistocene.[27]
Distribution of the Red Panda is disjointed. The Brahmaputra river, where it makes a curve around the eastern end of the Himalayas, is often considered the natural division between the two subspecies, although some authors suggest that A. f fulgens extends farther eastward, into China.
The Red Panda lives between 2,200 and 4,800 meters (7,200 and 15,700 ft) altitude,[27] inhabiting areas of moderate temperature (between 10 and 25 °C / 50 and 77 °F) with little annual change. It prefers mountainous mixed deciduous and conifer forests, especially with old trees and dense understories of bamboo.[32]

en.wikipedia.org...

For the love of nature,
spec

That's a Panda!!?
Cool?
Kinda looks like a cross between a Panda and a Fox!

i want one!!!
but like in miniature size, do you think the guys in the lab could pull that off for me?

Death by cuteness

It's not really a Panda, It's not really related to anything else and has a genus all to itself'.. Ailurus

The Red Panda is considered a living fossil and only distantly related to the Giant Panda

wiki

There pretty cute for a fossil!

Tell me, is this the result of a random genetic mutation, or some higher biological calculation / cellular design mechanism? I would have to side with the latter, these things are just too fuzzy wuzzy adorable, oh yes they are ^_^! yes you are~~ *head explodes*

Yeah Red Pandas are awesome. If you've ever watched the animated movie "Kung Fu Panda" Master Shifu is a Red Panda.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


Hah, thats awesome. I created a thread about how a Baby Red Panda Cub was born in the National Zoo, Now one in Britain.

I'd like to hear more rare/almost extinct species of animals popping up and being born more often.

If you'd like to check out the thread click here

Thanks for Sharing.

Not many people no this but the Red Panda is particularly vicious and deadly, given to long periods of sulking and generally not very photogenic especially when provoked by the appearance of a camera.

We here in England have known about this for decades of course but realised early on that such unlovable creatures would soon sour the public to visiting zoos where they were kept.

So some of our leading zoologists came together to essentially change these trouble makers into a predominantly adorable creature worthy of any photo album.

It was communicated to these animals in no uncertain manner that if they did not get on the cute train forthwith then all privileges would be withdrawn including the David Attenborough nights generally held on Fridays, weather permitting.

Despite some early resistance from some individuals in the early stages of the program they have, to a panda, seen the error of their ways and been transformed into the cuddle cutsey bundles you see today the only fly in the ointment being some panda's demonstrating a little to much artistic license in silly poses.

Of course they think they are clever but plans are afoot already to curb this individuality so we can all be assured of a regulated Red Panda experience that will give you that warm fuzzy feeling as printed on the label.

Incidently I do love Red Pandas...........just in case there is any confusion.

Edit to add bottom line

After some of the places I have been on ATS tonight, this thread was exactly what the doctor ordered.
I love it.
Thank you.

It's Snarf Snarf from thundercats!

What a stunningly beautiful creature.

reply to post by METACOMET


LOL It is snarf!!! Very beautiful indeed.
This being is my background; I find myself just mesmerized by this thing, what is it about this creature?

What a beautiful animal. Ya just wanna pick it up and hug it. The tail reminds me of the leamer. However the first thing I noticed was it's beady little eyes, which makes me think this thing could be very fast and do some real damage if it was provoked.
I may have missed it in the posts, what does it eat?

I also needed this tonight

I think there is a conspiracy going on here......the fact that so few of you apparently have ever heard of or seen red pandas....

Really...do you guys not have zoos?

They are too adorable though, aren't they.

reply to post by MeSoCorny


My kids are grown now so I haven't been to the zoo in many years. We have three great zoo's in my area. Lincoln Park, Brookfield, and the Milwaukee zoo. I just don't have the time or I guess the thought to go. My husband is a Fishing Guide in the area and I teach 4th grade at our parish. So we keep very busy. But I take your point. Should get out and about more to do the things I used to really enjoy. I would love to see these little guys up close.

reply to post by crappiekat


Ah, well....since you got rid of the kids, time to have fun! You should go and check them out.

I was surprised that many people haven't seen them, as even here in Chattanooga we have a crappy little zoo that has like five of them. (I've been to lots of other zoos in the US and Canada and all of them have had red pandas.)

I guess I'm lame but I still go to the zoo even though I'm grown. Just kidnap a relative's child, and you have an excuse!

reply to post by MeSoCorny


Yes you are so right. This summer I wanted to put up some strawberry jam so I took my sister inlaws little ones. It cost me $60. They picked so fast,I did'nt realize how much they picked until it was too late. The whole family got strawberry jam this year. I never thought to go to the zoo. I am going to talk to my sisterinlaw this weekend.
I'm so glad I saw this thread.
Thank You. Have a good weekend. I must get to bed,
Hope to talk again

ZOMG its Snarf from Thunder Cats! LOL, sure is a cute little thing! Thanks for posting, was interesting.

reply to post by speculativeoptimist


the first time i saw these i thought without a doubt they are the cutest creatures on earth.

I'm glad you guys enjoyed this as much as I did and thanks for the replies.

Oozil - It seems you and I are both fond of natural wonder so it is no surprise we were on the same trail, eager to share this wonderful creature with others. I like the vid in your thread too.

sherpa - thanks for the insight and perspective

spec

S for utter cuteness ,

their soo cute .