Red pandas live in cool, high mountain forests in the eastern Himalayas and nearby ranges in Asia, mainly in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. They prefer temperate forests with lots of bamboo, trees, and nearby water at elevations of roughly 1,500–4,000 meters (about 5,000–13,000 feet).

Natural range

  • Countries: Bhutan, Nepal, India (including Himalayan states), Myanmar, and southwestern China (especially Sichuan and Yunnan).
  • Region: Much of their range lies along the eastern Himalayas and other nearby mountain chains.
  • In the wild they are now patchily distributed, because forests have been broken up by human activity.

Type of habitat

  • Forests: Cool, temperate broadleaf and mixed conifer forests with dense bamboo understory and plenty of tree cover.
  • Terrain: Steep mountain slopes with fallen logs, tree stumps, and access to water within a few hundred meters.
  • Climate: Moist, cloudy mountain areas where temperatures stay relatively mild and lowland heat is avoided.

How they use that habitat

  • Red pandas spend much of their time in trees, using their flexible ankles and sharp claws to climb and balance with their long tail.
  • They usually rest and sleep in the tree canopy but come down to the ground often to feed on bamboo and other foods.
  • These habitats also support their mainly bamboo-based diet, plus fruits, blossoms, and small animals when available.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.