Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda provides a broad-based overview of the biology of the red panda, Ailurus fulgens. A carnivore that feeds almost entirely on vegetable material and is colored chestnut red, chocolate brown and cream rather than the expected black and white. This book gathers all the information that is available on the red panda both from the field and captivity as well as from cultural aspects, and attempts to answer that most fundamental of questions, "What is a red panda?" Scientists have long focused on the red panda's controversial taxonomy. Is it in fact an Old World procyonid, a very strange bear or simply a panda? All of these hypotheses are addressed in an attempt to classify a unique species and provide an in-depth look at the scientific and conservation-based issues urgently facing the red panda today. Red Panda not only presents an overview of the current state of our knowledge about this intriguing species but it is also intended to bring the red panda out of obscurity and into the spotlight of public attention. - Wide-ranging account of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) covers all the information that is available on this species both in and ex situ - Discusses the status of the species in the wild, examines how human activities impact on their habitat, and develops projections to translate this in terms of overall panda numbers - Reports on status in the wild, looks at conservation issues and considers the future of this unique species - Includes contributions from long-standing red panda experts as well as those specializing in fields involving cutting-edge red panda research.

Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda provides a broad-based overview of the biology of the red panda, Ailurus fulgens. A carnivore that feeds almost entirely on vegetable material and is colored chestnut red, chocolate brown and cream rather than the expected black and white. This book gathers all the information that is available on the red panda both from the field and captivity as well as from cultural aspects, and attempts to answer that most fundamental of questions, "What is a red panda?" Scientists have long focused on the red panda's controversial taxonomy. Is it in fact an Old World procyonid, a very strange bear or simply a panda? All of these hypotheses are addressed in an attempt to classify a unique species and provide an in-depth look at the scientific and conservation-based issues urgently facing the red panda today. Red Panda not only presents an overview of the current state of our knowledge about this intriguing species but it is also intended to bring the red panda out of obscurity and into the spotlight of public attention. Wide-ranging account of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) covers all the information that is available on this species both in and ex situ Discusses the status of the species in the wild, examines how human activities impact on their habitat, and develops projections to translate this in terms of overall panda numbers Reports on status in the wild, looks at conservation issues and considers the future of this unique species Includes contributions from long-standing red panda experts as well as those specializing in fields involving cutting-edge red panda research.

Combines the latest findings from the field and the laboratory with panel and workshop summaries from a recent international conference.

This title introduces readers to red pandas, covering their threatened habitat, their bamboo diet, how they camouflage from predators, and threats to the species.

A logo on products ranging from chopsticks and toilet paper to cell phones and automobiles, the panda is one of the most ubiquitous images in China and throughout the world. Yet the panda holds little notable historical significance in China. Although it has existed in the territory of present-day China since the Pliocene epoch, its widespread popularity there is not only recent, but almost sudden. In Panda Nation, E. Elena Songster links the emergence of the giant panda as a national symbol to the development of nature protection in the People's Republic of China. The panda's transformation into a national treasure exemplifies China's efforts in the mid-twentieth century to distinguish itself as a nation through government-directed science and popular nationalism. The story of the panda's iconic rise offers a striking reflection of China's recent and dramatic ascent as a nation in global status.

In this magnificent, heart-wrenching book--hailed Best Book of 1993 by the New York Times Book Review and USA Today--acclaimed naturalist and National Book Award winner George B. Schaller documents the plight of the mysterious panda--and urgently calls for the compassion needed to save these gentle animals from extinction. Includes a new Preface for this edition. 27-color plates.

"In August 2015, zookeepers at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, were thrilled to spot a tiny shadow on an ultrasound. For a species as rare as the giant panda, every new cub is cause for celebration. Zoo staff monitored mother Mei Xiang, and within days a newborn appeared, weighing in at just one third of a pound. While Mei Xiang cradled her vulnerable infant, zookeepers monitored the pair day and night through cameras in the panda den, and some two million viewers logged on to the zoo website. First Ladies Michelle Obama and Peng Liyuan hosted a ceremony to announce the cub's name: Bei Bei, meaning "precious treasure" in Mandarin Chinese. An instant celebrity, the cub captured hearts all over the world. But pandas in zoos are considered emissaries from the People's Republic of China, the only country where they live in the wild. Four years after his birth in America, Bei Bei would embark on an important new mission."--

The result of five years of meticulous research and stunning photography A Visual Celebration of Giant Pandas is a delightful volume that follows in the footsteps of the shy and enigmatic giant panda, and captures both adults and cubs on camera in close-up situations. Beautifully photographed, in rarely seen settings, the authors explain what makes the panda such a lovable icon, and why the public cannot have enough of this symbol of quiet hope for survival in a fast-changing planet. It also provides readers with fascinating and detailed information about Giant Panda's and the other species that share its habitat, such as the red panda and snow leopard. The issue of 'pandaplomacy' is also addressed, with the arrival of pandas in Singapore in 2012 and their likely arrival in Malaysia in 2013. Finally the book assesses the chances of survival for the giant panda, and the efforts being made to preserve its habitat.

This book of photography represents National Geographic's Photo Ark, a major cross-platform initiative and lifelong project by photographer Joel Sartore to make portraits of the world's animals -- especially those that are endangered. His message: to know these animals is to save them. Sartore intends to photograph every animal in captivity in the world. He is circling the globe, visiting zoos and wildlife rescue centers to create studio portraits of 12,000 species, with an emphasis on those facing extinction. He has photographed more than 6,000 already and now, thanks to a multi-year partnership with National Geographic, he may reach his goal. This book showcases his animal portraits: from tiny to mammoth, from the Florida grasshopper sparrow to the greater one-horned rhinoceros. Paired with the prose of veteran wildlife writer Douglas Chadwick, this book presents an argument for saving all the species of our planet.

Discusses the conservation, history, geographic distribution, activity patterns, feeding habits, and social behavior of Chinese giant pandas.