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What the sources say

Red PandaAilurus fulgens

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Red Panda profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 66 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Ailurus fulgens (red panda). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysfrom Nepal to western Sichuan and Yunnan in China, between 2,200 and 4,800 meters
The source saysRed pandas are found throughout the Himalayan mountains between 2,200 and 4,800 meters in elevation in northern Burma, Nepal, Sikkim region of India, and the districts of western Sichuan and Yunnan in ChinaNote: ADW is dated 2008; the Smithsonian's current page gives the same span (next claim) and genomic-2020 the same altitudes
The page saysberries, blossoms, eggs
The source saysRed pandas eat berries, blossoms, bird eggs, bamboo leaves, and the small leaves of other plants.
The page saysweightKg: 5
The source saysRange mass 3.7 to 6.2 kgNote: battleStats.weightKg, settled in #177: the middle of ADW's adult range. Every adult figure in the sources (San Diego 3 to 6.2 kg, Smithsonian 3.6 to 7.7 kg) is Light, where the name gave it Medium. Not in a curated matchup

Source
02

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Red Panda. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysbamboo-eating acrobats
The source saysred pandas are definitely acrobatic tree dwellers
The page saysMostly temperate
The source saysRed pandas live mostly in cool, temperate forests with a shrubby understory dominated by thick bamboo ... In part of India, red pandas live in a tropical forest.
The page saysoccasionally a small rodent
The source saysThey may also eat eggs, small birds, and small rodents.
The page saysshares a name, a taste for bamboo and, in China, the same bamboo forests as the giant panda
The source saysIn China, red pandas and giant pandas share the same habitat: bamboo forests.
The page saysIts gut can extract only about 24 percent of the bamboo it eats
The source saysBamboo is not a great food source for energy and is hard to digest. In fact, red pandas digest only about 24 percent of the bamboo they eat.
The page saysso it needs to eat 20 to 30 percent of its own body weight every day, roughly 2 to 4 pounds (1 to 2 kilograms)
The source saysBamboo is not a great food source for energy and is hard to digest. In fact, red pandas digest only about 24 percent of the bamboo they eat. Red pandas need to eat 20 to 30 percent of their body weight each day—about 2 to 4 pounds (1 to 2 kilograms) of bamboo shoots and leaves.Note: the 'so' follows the source's own sequence: poor energy and hard to digest, only 24 percent digested, so they need 20 to 30 percent of body weight a day
The page saysSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance puts adults at 20 to 25 inches (51 to 64 centimeters) long, not counting a tail of 11 to 19 inches (28 to 49 centimeters)
The source saysLength: 20 to 25 inches (51 to 64 centimeters), not including tail ... Tail length: 11 to 19 inches (28 to 49 centimeters)Note: attributed because the Smithsonian's current page gives different figures (56 to 62.5 cm, tail 37 to 47.2 cm); those sit inside San Diego's ranges, so only the weights are set side by side
The page saysmakes up almost half the animal's total length
The source saysAlmost half of the red panda's total body length is in its tail.
The page saysIt gives females 6 to 10 pounds (3 to 4.5 kilograms) and males 10 to 14 pounds (4.5 to 6.2 kilograms)
The source saysWeight: Females - 6 to 10 pounds (3 to 4.5 kilograms); males - 10 to 14 pounds (4.5 to 6.2 kilograms)
The page saysSan Diego says a red panda typically lives eight to ten years, and up to 15 in zoos
The source says8 to 10 years; up to 15 years in zoosNote: 'typically' reads San Diego's bare range the way ADW states the same figure ('the average is eight to ten'); the 23-year figure is kept to the Smithsonian
The page sayshelping it climb wet, slippery branches and walk on icy rocks
The source saysas an adult the feet are covered with hair to help the red panda climb on wet, slippery branches and walk on icy rocks or snow-covered ground
The page saysSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says red panda numbers may have fallen by as much as 40 percent over the last 50 years
The source saysRed panda numbers may have decreased by as much as 40 percent over the last 50 years .
The page saysEstimates of the surviving population range from about 2,500 to 10,000 adults
The source saysthe adult population is probably around 10,000 ... some estimate that only 2,500 adult red pandas remain in their native habitat
The page saysDense fur covers even the soles of its feet, helping it climb wet, slippery branches and walk on icy rocks
The source saysThe soles of the newborn's feet are bare, but as an adult the feet are covered with hair to help the red panda climb on wet, slippery branches and walk on icy rocks or snow-covered ground.
The page saysits bushy tail
The source saysWith their bushy tail for balance
The page saysalmost half its total body length
The source saysAlmost half of the red panda's total body length is in its tail.
The page saysfor an acrobat
The source saysred pandas are definitely acrobatic tree dwellersNote: vibe.reason, settled in #177: replaces 'bouncy forest acrobatics' and 'charming visual charisma'

Source
03

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Red Panda. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The page saysRinged bushy tail
The source saysTheir tails are marked with alternating red and buff rings ... Long, bushy tails help these arboreal animals maintain balance and protect them from harsh cold and winds.
The page saysfalse thumb wrist bone
The source saysRed pandas share the giant panda's pseudo-thumb, a modified wrist bone used to grasp bamboo when feeding.Note: backs the tagline's 'false thumb wrist bone'; the fuller mechanism sentence in the body has its own separate claim
The page sayshigh Himalayan forests
The source saysRed pandas live in high-altitude, temperate forests with bamboo understories in the Himalayas and other high mountains.
The page saysfor gripping bamboo
The source saysRed pandas share the giant panda's pseudo-thumb, a modified wrist bone used to grasp bamboo when feeding.Note: evidence-2005 says the red panda's false thumb more likely evolved for climbing, with manipulation developed secondarily; the page states its use, not its origin
The page saystemperate, high-altitude forests with a bamboo understory in the Himalayas and other high mountains
The source saysRed pandas live in high-altitude, temperate forests with bamboo understories in the Himalayas and other high mountains.
The page saysfrom Nepal to western Sichuan and Yunnan in China
The source saysThey range from northern Myanmar (Burma) to the west Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces of China. They are also found in suitable habitat in Nepal, India and Tibet.
The page saysBamboo leaf tips and shoots, plus berries, blossoms, eggs, insects, and occasionally a small rodent
The source saysred pandas feed selectively on the most nutritious leaf tips and, when available, tender shoots ... They may also forage for roots, succulent grasses, fruits, insects and grubs, and are known to occasionally kill and eat birds and small mammals.
The page saysA false thumb: an enlarged wrist bone (the radial sesamoid) it uses to grasp bamboo.
The source saysRed pandas share the giant panda's pseudo-thumb, a modified wrist bone used to grasp bamboo when feeding.
The page saysNaturalists first filed it with raccoons, then with bears
The source saysThey were first described as members of the raccoon family ( Procyonidae ) ... they were assigned to the bear family ( Ursidae ).
The page saysgenetic research gave it a family of its own: Ailuridae
The source saysMost recent genetic research, however, places red pandas in their own, independent family: Ailuridae
The page saysof which the red panda is the only living member
The source saysRed pandas are the only living member of the family Ailuridae .
The page saysIts closest living relatives are probably in the group that includes skunks, raccoons and weasels
The source saysare probably most closely related to the group that includes skunks, raccoons and weaselsNote: 'closest' paraphrases the quote's own 'most closely related'
The page saysBamboo makes up about 95 percent of a red panda's diet
The source saysBamboo constitutes about 95% of the red panda's diet.
The page saysunlike a giant panda, which eats nearly every above-ground part of the plant, a red panda feeds selectively: choosing the most nutritious leaf tips and, when available, tender shoots
The source saysUnlike giant pandas that feed on nearly every above-ground portion of bamboo (including the culm, or woody stem), red pandas feed selectively on the most nutritious leaf tips and, when available, tender shoots.
The page saysSmithsonian's National Zoo says adults typically weigh 8 to 17 pounds (3.6 to 7.7 kilograms)
The source saysAdult red pandas typically weigh between 8 and 17 pounds (3.6 and 7.7 kilograms)
The page saysthe Smithsonian says they may live as long as 23
The source saysRed pandas may live as long as 23 years.
The page saysDense fur covers even the soles of its feet
The source saysDense fur completely covers their feet
The page saysExtremely flexible ankles, with a fibula that can rotate on its own axis, let it climb straight down a tree trunk headfirst
The source saysTheir ankles are extremely flexible, and the fibula and tibia are attached in such a way as to allow the fibula to rotate about its axis. These features make it possible for red pandas to adeptly climb headfirst down tree trunks.
The page saysIn the cold it curls into a tight ball to conserve body heat
The source sayscurling into a tight ball to conserve body heat and energy expenditure in the cold
The page saysits long, bushy tail helps shield it from harsh cold and wind
The source saysLong, bushy tails help these arboreal animals maintain balance and protect them from harsh cold and winds.
The page saysA red panda tests odors using the underside of its tongue, which has a cone-like structure for collecting liquid and carrying it close to a gland inside its mouth. It is the only carnivore with this adaptation.
The source saysThe red panda tests odors using the underside of its tongue, which has a cone-like structure for collecting liquid and bringing it close to a gland inside its mouth. It is the only carnivore with this adaptation.
The page saysSmithsonian's National Zoo says researchers believe the population fell 40 percent in the past two decades
The source saysResearchers believe that the total population of red pandas has declined by 40 percent over the past two decades.
The page saysThey were first classified with raccoons, then, citing some agreement in DNA, moved in with bears
The source saysfirst described as members of the raccoon family ( Procyonidae ) ... Later, due to some agreements in DNA, they were assigned to the bear family ( Ursidae ).
The page saysgenetic research now places them in their own family, Ailuridae
The source saysMost recent genetic research, however, places red pandas in their own, independent family: Ailuridae
The page saysof which they are the only living member
The source saysRed pandas are the only living member of the family Ailuridae .
The page saysThey are probably most closely related to the group that includes weasels, raccoons and skunks
The source saysare probably most closely related to the group that includes skunks, raccoons and weasels
The page sayshelps shield it from harsh cold and wind
The source saysLong, bushy tails help these arboreal animals maintain balance and protect them from harsh cold and winds.
The page saysIn cold weather a red panda curls into a tight ball to conserve body heat.
The source sayscurling into a tight ball to conserve body heat and energy expenditure in the cold
The page sayswhose extremely flexible ankles let it climb headfirst down tree trunks
The source saysTheir ankles are extremely flexible, and the fibula and tibia are attached in such a way as to allow the fibula to rotate about its axis. These features make it possible for red pandas to adeptly climb headfirst down tree trunks.Note: vibe.reason, settled in #177

Source
04

Glatston, Wei & Sherpa 2015

Glatston, Wei & Sherpa (2015). Ailurus fulgens. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T714A110023718.

The page saysThe IUCN Red List, which assessed the red panda as a single species in 2015, lists it as Endangered
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN). Ailurus fulgens F.G. Cuvier, 1825Note: also backs stats.conservationStatus; 2015 is the assessment's year in the reference, and the assessed taxon is the one species Ailurus fulgens. The assessment predates the 2020 two-species study, so the page no longer says 'Both are Endangered'

Source
05

Salesa et al. 2005

Salesa et al. (2005). Evidence of a false thumb in a fossil carnivore clarifies the evolution of pandas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysBoth pandas share a "false thumb," an enlarged wrist bone called the radial sesamoid that works like an opposable digit
The source saysThe "false thumb" of pandas is a carpal bone, the radial sesamoid, which has been enlarged and functions as an opposable thumb.
The page saysan enlarged wrist bone (the radial sesamoid)
The source saysThe "false thumb" of pandas is a carpal bone, the radial sesamoid, which has been enlarged and functions as an opposable thumb.
The page saysFossils of a Miocene red panda relative found in Spain show it already had one of its own
The source saysThe discovery of previously unknown postcranial remains of a Miocene red panda relative, Simocyon batalleri, from the Spanish site of Batallones-1 (Madrid), now shows that this animal had a false thumb.
The page saysthe two thumbs evolved independently
The source saysindicates independent evolution in both pandas
The page saysIt is an enlarged wrist bone, the radial sesamoid, that works like an opposable thumb
The source saysThe "false thumb" of pandas is a carpal bone, the radial sesamoid, which has been enlarged and functions as an opposable thumb.
The page saysa Miocene red panda relative found as a fossil in Spain already had a false thumb of its own, which indicates that the two thumbs evolved independently
The source saysMiocene red panda relative, Simocyon batalleri, from the Spanish site of Batallones-1 (Madrid), now shows that this animal had a false thumb ... indicates independent evolution in both pandas

Source
06

Hu et al. 2017

Hu et al. (2017). Comparative genomics reveals convergent evolution between the bamboo-eating giant and red pandas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The page saysKinship is another matter.
The source saysThe giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens) belong to different families in the order Carnivora

Source
07

Hu et al. 2020

Hu et al. (2020). Genomic evidence for two phylogenetic species and long-term population bottlenecks in red pandas. Science Advances.

The page saysbetween 2,200 and 4,800 meters
The source saysrestricted at the southeastern and southern edges of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau within an altitude range of 2200 to 4800 m
The page saysOne Name, Two Species?
The source saysit is reasonable to propose two speciesNote: heading kept as a question: the paper proposes two species, the Smithsonian says genetic studies 'suggest' it, and the Red List still assesses one
The page saysA study of 65 whole genomes argues that "the red panda" is really two species
The source saysData from 65 whole genomes, 49 Y-chromosomes, and 49 mitochondrial genomes provide the first comprehensive genetic evidence for species divergence in red pandas ... these data thus clearly define two phylogenetic species in red pandas.Note: 'argues' matches the paper's own 'it is reasonable to propose two species' and the Smithsonian's 'new genetic studies suggest'; the Red List still assesses one species
The page saysis really two species: a Himalayan red panda and a Chinese red panda
The source saysUnder the phylogenetic species concept ( 16 ), it is reasonable to propose two species: the Himalayan red panda ( A. fulgens ) and the Chinese red panda ( A. styani )
The page saysThe two split apart about 220,000 years ago, around the time a glaciation bottlenecked both populations
The source saysdivergence between the Himalayan (MH) and Chinese red pandas (EH-GLG, XXL-LS, and QL) occurred 0.22 Ma ago, coincident with the first population bottleneck of the two species caused by the Penultimate Glaciation.Note: 0.22 Ma (million years) converted to 220,000 years

Source
08

Zhu et al. 2018

Zhu et al. (2018). Potential Mechanism of Detoxification of Cyanide Compounds by Gut Microbiomes of Bamboo-Eating Pandas. mSphere.

The page saysBamboo contains toxic cyanide compounds
The source saysBamboo is extraordinarily rich in plant secondary metabolites, such as allied phenolic and polyphenolic compounds and even toxic cyanide compounds.
The page saysmembers of the order Carnivora, which includes the red panda, have low levels of a key cyanide-clearing enzyme in their tissues compared with plant-eaters
The source saysThe giant and red pandas are bamboo-eating specialists within the mammalian order Carnivora. Bamboo contains abundant plant secondary metabolites (e.g., cyanide-containing compounds). However, Carnivora species, including the giant panda, have deficient levels of rhodanese (one of the essential cyanide detoxification enzymes) in their tissues compared with the same tissues of herbivores.Note: the paper states this for Carnivora species and measured it in the giant panda, not the red panda, so the page says it of the order and names the red panda only as a member
The page saysA red panda's gut bacteria may pick up the slack: in one study, they were significantly richer in genes likely to code for cyanide-degrading enzymes than the gut bacteria of typical plant-eating mammals
The source saysbamboo-eating pandas' gut microbiomes were significantly enriched in putative genes coding for enzymes related to cyanide degradation (e.g., rhodanese) compared with the gut microbiomes of typical herbivorous mammalsNote: 'may' carries the paper's own hedge: its title calls this a 'Potential Mechanism', the genes are 'putative', and it proposes germ-free mouse transplants to measure the microbes' contribution
The page saysone of the traits red pandas share with the giant panda for coping with a bamboo diet
The source saysthe enrichment of putative cyanide-digesting gut microbes ... show that the giant panda and red panda have evolved some common traits to adapt to their bamboo dietNote: 'one of the traits' keeps the source's 'some': the microbe enrichment is one of the several common traits the sentence lists, alongside pseudothumbs and genomic signatures

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.