Red pandas are one of the 41,415 species that are currently facing extinction. Red pandas are located in the Eastern Himalayas of China. Most of you might not know what a red panda looks like. Well, they are around two feet long and have thick russet fur. They resemble a bear-like body with black colored legs, a red orange body and white markings upon the face with a striped tail, according to the World Wildlife Organization. The population is currently less than 10,000! 

Why are they facing extinction? It’s because of their habitat! Red pandas eat bamboo and leafy plants. Their habitats are trees because they use this to nest in and climb around on, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Red Panda Information. And this is the #1 reason why they are going extinct. Their forests are being cut down or burned because they are not protected, forcing red pandas into extinction. Another factor is climate change. As the temperatures rise throughout the florist the red pandas can only regulate their body temperature a little bit. This forces red pandas to climb higher up the trees for higher elevation to adapt to the changing temperatures.

What’s The Status?

Right now the current status of red pandas is endangered. In the image below it shows the different stages and how close they are to becoming extinct. 

How Can You Help?

Stop adding to climate change! Some ways to avoid climate change is saving energy. Most of the time you use electricity throughout your house, so when you come out of a room look behind you and check to see if you can turn off the lights. You could also hang your clothes to dry out on a nice, sunny day instead of using energy from the dryer machine. You could also look at the way you travel. Some of you might have a car, but if your route is not that far you could bike or walk to your destination.

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Red Pandas eat many different leafy plants. Courtesy of Google Images