Getting A Grasp On The Red Panda's Wrist

The red panda has a modified wrist bone that acts as a sixth digit or thumb.

 Picture from Ingrid Vekemans

It shares this trait with the Giant Panda, both of whom are big bamboo eaters.  The modified wrist bone is what allows them to hold onto the bamboo while chewing it.

The Red Panda's Picky Diet

 This rare animals is a picky eater due to it's inability to digest cellulose.

 Picture from One Big Photo

The red panda mainly eats bamboo and will spend up to 13 hours a day searching for and eating bamboo. The red panda only eats the young, tender shoots and leaves. They will also eat fruit, berries, blossoms, insects, and bird eggs.

A Species of Their Own

The red panda is unique in its color and size. While it shares the name with its larger black-and-white relative, it is actually quite different. It is typically the size of a house cat and has red fur. In fact, scientists have had a difficult time finding a spot for this species in the taxonomy system. The red panda has been classified as a relative of both the giant panda and the raccoon, but as of late, they are considered members of their own family, the Ailuridae. Unfortunately, red pandas are endangered, mainly as a result of deforestation.