International Red Panda Day 2023: Date, History, Significance, Facts

The International Red Panda Day (IRPD) is celebrated every third Saturday of September. This year, it will be celebrated on September 16, 2023 to spread awareness about red pandas that are near extinction.

The Red Panda Network, an organisation dedicated to conserving the species launched this day in 2010. Red pandas are an endangered species, with their population decreasing due to habitat loss, poaching, and other human-induced factors.

According to Red Panda Network, red pandas are the only living member of their own taxonomic family. They are a flagship species of a biodiversity hotspot and our planet has lost half of its wild red pandas in 20 years.

International Red Panda Day is significant as it involves participating in activities that help to raise awareness about these issues and to fundraise for conservation initiatives. Rapid human population growth in the Eastern Himalayas is causing deforestation and the degradation and fragmentation of red panda habitat and hence it has become extremely important to save the red panda.

People often engage in various activities, such as adopting a red panda, raising funds for conservation projects, and participating in educational programs and campaigns to spread awareness about the conservation of red pandas.

Here are some red panda facts that you would love to know:

• The scientific name for the red panda is Ailurus fulgens, which translates to “shining cat” or fire-coloured cat.

• Red panda's live in the Eastern Himalayas in Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), and China. Their habitat is temperate broadleaved forests with bamboo understories at altitudes between 2400 and 3900 meters.

• Adult red pandas weigh-in slightly larger than a house cat.The head and body length of red pandas averages 56 to 63 cm (22 to 25 in), and their tails about 37 to 47 cm (15 to 19 in).

• Female red panda weigh 3-4.5 kg on average while males are usually 4.5-6.2 kg.

• Red pandas are most active in the early morning and late afternoon (crepuscular) spending most of the day resting in trees (arboreal) conserving their energy.

• They are classified as "Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

• Red pandas use various vocalisations to communicate, including whistle-like sounds to signal distress.

• In the wild, they live for about 8 to 10 years, but they can live longer in captivity, sometimes reaching 15 years of age.

• The red panda is the state animal of the Indian state of Sikkim.