Red panda
Ailurus fulgens
There are two red pandas here at Edinburgh Zoo – Priya and Bruce.
Bruce was born in 2015 and came to Edinburgh in 2016. Priya joined us in 2024 from ZSL Whipsnade. This arrival was extra special because Priya is the granddaughter of Bruce.
If you’re having trouble spotting our red pandas, look up! They love sitting high in the trees and napping on big branches. Red pandas are excellent climbers. Their claws can partly retract, and their back feet can turn around, which helps them climb down trees headfirst.
Despite their name, red pandas are not related to giant pandas. They are placed in their own separate family – Ailuridae. They are closer relations of raccoons, skunks and weasels.
Red pandas live in the high-altitude, temperate forests of the Eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, in countries like Nepal, India and China.
They are classified as Endangered. They face threats such as deforestation and poaching.
Population
Decreasing
Diet
Herbivore
Habitat
Forest
Fact file
Red pandas have a modified wrist bone that acts like a false thumb - this helps them grip branches and their favourite food, bamboo
The name 'panda' comes from the Nepalese word 'nigalya panya', which means 'bamboo eater'
They are excellent climbers thanks to their semi-retractable claws, and when not searching for food, they are usually found in the trees
Latest red panda news
View all news
14 Nov 2024
Two minute read
29 Oct 2024
One minute read
03 Oct 2024
One minute read
How we're helping
Like all the animals in our care, our red pandas are amazing ambassadors for their relatives in the wild and help hundreds of thousands of people connect with nature every year. They encourage visitors to learn about the threats facing wildlife and the action they can take to help create a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.
As a wildlife conservation charity, we care for the animals here at the zoo and work to protect species at risk around the world. From providing expertise in genetics and veterinary health, to protecting wild places with local conservation partners, and even restoring threatened species to the wild, we are active where we are needed most.
Find out more about RZSS conservation