Firecats



The firecat isn't actually the real name of the animal I'm researching. It's real name is the red panda. They got this awesome nickname because of their red fur. In this wiki you'll learn all about this adorable creatures and how to help with their conservation. In this wiki you will learn about the red panda's physical characteristics and personality, it's habitat and distribution, it's diet, it's reproduction, and how to help with conservation. Enjoy!

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__**//Pysical Charateristics and Personality//**__

The red panda is about 42 inches long and weighs from 7 to 14 pounds. They are completely covered in soft and dense fur. Even the soles of their feet have fur on them! They have these red and white markings all over them. Their red fur is why they got the nickname "firecat". What's really funny is that the red panda isn't actually a panda, a bear, or a cat. The red panda is actually part of the raccoon family. They also have long busy tails that they use for balance when in the treetops, were they spend most of time. They are most active at dawn and at dusk and feed on the ground. These animals are very solitary animals and males are very territorial and patrol the boundaries of it's territory. While the females usually stay in the center of a males territory. __//**Distribution and Habitat**//__

The red panda currently lives in North India, So uth China, Nepal, Bhutan, and North Laos. They are located in the mountain's of these places spruce and fir forests at about 6,500-13,000 feet. They were extensively studied in Nepal and scientists are not sure of the exact number their are in the wild. __//**Diet**//__

The red panda eats grasses, roots, eggs, fish, mice, insects, blossoms, and berries, but their diet is mainly made of bamboo. These animals have broad teeth nd very strong jaws. Red pandas are omnivores, which means they eat meat and other organisms and plants.

__//**Reproduction**//__

The red panda mates from January into February. After the two pandas have mated the male leaves and never returns to the female. The female is a alone when it comes to raising the cubs. The gestation period for the red panda is roughly 134 days, and after their cubs are born they stay in the nest for about 90 days. Each litter contains from 1 to 4 cubs and they stay with the mother until the next mating season when they will go off on their own. When the babies are born they are tan, blind, helpless, and completely dependent on their mother. The cubs reach adulthood at 12 months of age.

__//**Reason for Endangerment**//__

There are two reasons as to why this adorable little creature is endangered. The first is that the red panda is poached for it's red fur which is considered very valuable. And the second reason is due to loss of habitat. All of the trees and other plants that the red panda eats are being knocked down to build homes and buildings. This is causing many of the pandas to starve to death.


 * //__Conservation__//**

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