Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: status Endangered

Could you ask for a cuter face?

23 Dec 2011 203
Every once in a while, if you are very lucky, one of the Red Pandas at the Calgary Zoo will actually stop for a moment, just long enough to get a quick shot. The rest of the time, they are either constantly on the move around their enclosure, or they are fast asleep up in one of their tree houses. So sad that they have become an endangered species! "The Red Panda, also called the Firefox, Fire Cat, Lesser Panda, or Ailurus fulgens ("shining cat"), is a mostly herbivorous mammal, specialized as a bamboo feeder. It is slightly larger than a domestic cat (40 - 60 cm long, 3 - 6 kg weight). The Red Panda is endemic to the Himalayas in Bhutan, southern China, Pakistan, India, Laos, Nepal, and Burma. There is an estimated population of fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. Their population continues to decline due to habitat fragmentation... In southwest China the Red Panda is hunted for its fur and especially for its highly-valued bushy tail from which hats are produced. In the areas of China where the Red Panda lives, their fur is often used for local cultural ceremonies and in weddings the bridegroom traditionally carries the hide. The 'good-luck charm' hats are used by Chinese newlyweds." From Wikipedia.