.jpg)
Ah, the red panda. That small, "lesser panda" in the Himalayas who eats bamboo just like its big, hulking, black and white ancestors—wait, what do you mean they're not related?
Yes, it seems we've been lied to by the animal-naming community once more. Sure, we might expect this from the marine biologists (what's with calling everything a fish?), but this may be one of the oddest mammal misnomers yet. At least the flying fox (a bat—what do you think of that?) has pointy ears and flies.
The red panda, in fact, has more in common with skunks and raccoons than the panda bear, unless you count its diet. Fruits, veggies, bamboo, insects... okay, whose stomach just grumbled?
The reality is, the red panda is so darn unique that scientists had to create a whole new taxonomic family for it! It is the sole member of family Ailuridae, and its full name is Ailurus Fulgens. Although, it probably won't let you call it that unless you're close friends, or maybe if dinner is ready. Seriously, whose stomach is that?
So how did the red panda get such a confusing name in the first place? It turns out, the name "panda" may have come from the Nepali word "ponya," or "bamboo eater," in the early 1800s. The red panda was literally named "red bamboo eater." Not so confusing anymore, right? And the real poser is the giant panda, who wasn't described until much later and gained the name because it shared a common diet and other similarities with the red panda!
Unfortunately, the red panda is an endangered species. There are less than 10,000 individuals in the wild, and the species is constantly threatened by deforestation and poaching. However, one of their biggest threats has nothing to do with them! Red pandas often get caught in traps set for wild pigs, deer, or other animals. In an effort to decrease the economic need for trapping, organizations like the World Wildlife Fund are working to increase other profitable businesses and tourism in countries inhabited by red pandas. The endangerment of red pandas often goes overlooked due to the endangerment of larger mammal species, but there is much to be done to ensure our "red bamboo eaters" will continue to do so!
So, much like a child overshadowed by their younger sibling (except... you know... a sibling they're not related to), the red panda took a back seat while the giant panda got all the fame and fortune associated with the name. Who allowed that to happen? It's on us to set the record straight! So if anyone asks, remind them who the OG was. #theOGpandawasred
(I'd like to make it clear that I'm not blaming the giant panda. Obviously, the one to blame here is bamboo. It was just too delicious.)