The scientific name of this rare and beautiful species literally means ‘fire-coloured cat’. Its striking red fur is thought to help it blend in with the reddish-brown moss that grows on the branches of the trees in which it lives. Like its relative, the giant panda, with which it shares much of its habitat, the red panda has evolved to feed almost exclusively on bamboo. Individuals must spend a great deal of time eating just to maintain their bodyweight – female red pandas have been known to eat up to 200,000 bamboo leaves in a single day! Sadly, red pandas are declining throughout their range as a result of deforestation, increased agriculture, hunting and pressure from growing human populations.