For many years, red pandas were classified as part of the Procyonidae family, which includes raccoons and their relatives. Yet because of the giant panda’s larger size, some biologists came to write about red pandas as “lesser” pandas. Many people believe it derives from the second part of an old Nepalese name for these animals, nigalya ponya, which may have meant something like "bamboo footed.” Another local name for the red panda is wah or chitwah.Ĭlassifying animals is not an easy task, and taxonomists argued for years over red pandas and giant pandas: are they related to each other? Red pandas and giant pandas share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago. So how did this mammal come to be called a panda? The origin of the name “panda” is unclear. Styan discovered another form of red panda and named it Ailurus fulgens styani, now refulgens. The Styans' panda is a bit larger and more brightly colored than the western red panda. After examining a red panda, he said it was the most beautiful animal he had ever seen and named it Ailurus (from the Greek word ailouros, which means cat, and fulgens, meaning fire-colored or shining.
But French zoologist Frédéric Cuvier first described the western red panda Ailurus fulgens fulgens in 1825, 48 years before the black-and-white bear was cataloged. It may seem like the roly-poly giant panda was the first true panda, and the red panda was added for fun. Today, however, red pandas are only found in small, isolated mountain territories above 4,000 feet in China, Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Burma. Surprisingly, red panda fossils have been discovered in North America that date as far back as 5 million years. The black-and-white giant panda may have worldwide popularity, but the bewitching and arboreal “other bamboo eater” has its own allure. Seeing red-pandas! Many people admire the red panda for its charming, kitten-like face, cinnamon red fur, fluffy ringed tail, and astonishing agility.
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