Welcome to the Himalayas, right here at Australia Zoo! Our rascally red panda can be spotted moving around the treetops, curiously checking out our Zoo guests. It’s impossible to not fall in love with this cute face!

The red panda calls the high-altitude forests of Nepal, Burma and China home. They are well equipped for the epic environment they live in. They have a thick, insulated red coat and a bushy tail that can be used as a scarf in the chilly Himalayan climate.

Red pandas are often referred to as crepuscular, meaning they’re most active during early mornings and late afternoons!  During this time, they will forage for bamboo, fruit, berries, blossoms, acorns and even eggs. The gorgeous red panda has a specially designed wrist and paw that assists in their efficient movement through tree tops.

Breeding season comes around once a year for the red panda, usually in early winter. Although they are an arboreal species, meaning they spend most of their time in the trees, the mating ritual takes place on the ground. The male red panda has little to no involvement in raising their young.

Sadly, red pandas are victims of illegal poaching, habitat destruction and predation from snow leopards. They are classed as an endangered species and need our support to prevent their extinction.