Metabolic rate of the red panda, Ailurus fulgens, a dietary bamboo specialist

Abstract

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) has a similar diet, primarily bamboo, and shares the same habitat as the giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca. There are considerable efforts underway to understand the ecology of the red panda and to increase its populations in natural reserves. Yet it is difficult to design an effective strategy for red panda reintroduction if we do not understand its basic biology. Here we report the resting metabolic rate of the red panda and find that it is higher than previously measured on animals from a zoo. The resting metabolic rate was 0.290 ml/g/h (range 0.204–0.342) in summer and 0.361 ml/g/h in winter (range 0.331–0.406), with a statistically significant difference due to season and test temperature. Temperatures in summer were probably within the thermal neutral zone for metabolism but winter temperatures were below the thermal neutral zone. There was no difference in metabolic rate between male and female red pandas and no difference due to mass. Our values for metabolic rate were much higher than those measured by McNab for 2 red pandas from a zoo. The larger sample size (17), more natural conditions at the Panda Base and improved accuracy of the metabolic instruments provided more accurate metabolism measurements. Contrary to our expectations based on their low quality bamboo diet, the metabolic rates of red pandas were similar to mammals of the same size. Based on their metabolic rates red pandas would not be limited by their food supply in natural reserves.

Red panda fine‐scale habitat selection along a Central Himalayan longitudinal gradient

“…Apart from bamboo, our study suggests that tree canopy coverage, proximity to water sources and species diversity were critical habitat requirements of red panda distribution, similar to the findings of previous studies (Bhatta et al, ; Bista, Shrestha, Sherpa, et al, ; Dorji, Vernes, & Rajaratnam, ; Pradhan et al, ; Thapa et al, ; Williams, ; Yonzon & Hunter, ). However, red pandas responded to these predictors differently in the three longitudinal complexes, suggesting diverse adaptations to physiological, thermoregulatory, and ecological constraints (Fei, Hou, Spotila, Paladino, & Zhang, ; McNab, ; Wang, ). Tree species richness, tree diameter, canopy cover, and tree height create unique climatic regimes at fine levels (Anhuf & Rollenbeck, ).…”

“…McNab () has reported a decreased metabolic rate at low environmental temperatures without reducing body temperature in captive pandas. Red pandas should have low metabolic rates to conserve heat and thermoregulation, especially during winter (Fei et al, ; Wei et al, ), but they also need more foraging time to maximize energy intake from less nutritious bamboo (McNab, ; Yonzon & Hunter, ). Liu, Guan, Dai, Li, and Gong () have reported temperature as the second most important determinant of giant panda distribution in the northern Minshan in China, similar to our findings.…”

“…McNab (1989) has reported a decreased metabolic rate at low environmental temperatures without reducing body temperature in captive pandas. Red pandas should have low metabolic rates to conserve heat and thermoregulation, especially during winter (Fei et al, 2017;Wei et al, 2000), but they also need more foraging time to maximize energy intake from less nutritious bamboo (McNab, 1989;Yonzon & Hunter, 1991 airflow from the Bay of Bengal (Shrestha, 2000). The winter rain enters western Nepal via northern India and Kashmir (Lang & Barros, 2004).…”

An assessment of human impacts on endangered red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) living in the Himalaya

“…Red pandas are generally shy and solitary animals; they prefer steeper slopes with a high density of fallen logs, shrubs, and bamboo culms (Wei, Feng, Wang, & Hu, 2000), sparse forest (Qi, Hu, Gu, Li, & Wei, 2009) and understory bamboo (Chakraborty et al, 2015;Dorji, Vernes, & Rajaratnam, 2011;Panthi, Aryal, Raubenheimer, Lord, & Adhikari, 2012;Pradhan, Saha, & Khan, 2001;Roberts & Gittleman, 1984). Bamboo leaves and shoots are a major food source (Fei et al, 2017;Hu et al, 2017;Panthi et al, 2012;Panthi, Coogan, Aryal, & Raubenheimer, 2015;Thapa & Basnet, 2015;Wei, Feng, Wang, Zhou, & Hu, 1999). Although the red panda is protected by international conventions (CITES, 2017) and national law in Nepal (GoN, 1973), its population has continued to decline over the past 30 years (Glatston et al, 2015).…”

Keratomycosis in captive red pandas (<i>Ailurus fulgens</i>): 2 cases

“…Discussion The red panda is an arboreal mammal native to Nepal and other areas of the eastern Himalayan region. It is unique in that its metabolism relies on a diet comprised entirely of bamboo to meet its nutritional requirements, despite its taxonomic classification within the order Carnivora (Panthi et al, 2015;Fei et al, 2017). Both its arboreal lifestyle and plant-based diet may have been contributing factors to the development of fungal keratitis seen here.…”