Albino Red Panda: What Do They Look Like And How Do They Adapt?

Who doesn't adore a giant fluffy panda?

The hilarious antics and goofy nature of pandas are not unknown to the world. Undoubtedly they're the favorites of all animal lovers!

Spotting a wild panda can be pretty tasking as these furry bears tend to stay aloof in the depth of forests. Did you know that pandas are experts in camouflaging?

The white-black color combination of these animals helps them to mingle with snow and shadows. Also, researchers believe that the dark circular region around the eye helps these animals to identify each other. Here are some interesting facts about some of the rare pandas that have albinism.

Indulge yourself in gaining more insights into the albino red panda. You can also enlighten your kids with these exciting facts about are pandas' marsupials and do pandas hibernate.

How You Can Tell A Red Panda Apart From The White And Black Ones

Here are some characteristic features that would help you to distinguish between the red panda and the black and white panda.

Giant pandas with a combination of woolly white and black fur are pretty common, but an entirely white one is a rarity.

It was first spotted in the wilderness of bamboo forests of the Wolong National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province. A giant panda usually weighs somewhere around 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m), whereas the red panda measures approximately 1.7-2 ft (0.5-0.6 m) in length, which implies that the latter has a smaller size and are less bulky.

While the head of the giant panda is globe shaped, the red pandas possess a roundish head.

Apart from the reddish tinge, a red panda can be classified by its raccoon like appearance, a slender body with a bushy, long tail, and soft fur throughout its body. A white tinge is present on the region above the eyes, nose, cheeks, and ears, while the legs are black.

Giant pandas exhibit a typical bear like structure with a short tail.

What does an albino red panda look like?

If you're a wildlife enthusiast, then you must be well acquainted with the adorable pandas. However, tracing the albino red panda is almost a Herculean task as it is an exceptionally rare species. Nevertheless, the world has successfully caught sight (although blurry) of this rare bear.

Traits of albinism, that is, reddish eyes and white colored fur, were first identified via an infrared camera recording of a wild panda residing in the Wolong National Nature Reserve of Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

As claimed by the professor at Peking University, Li Sheng, the panda is estimated to be somewhere around one or two years of age.

According to scientists, this rare genetic mutation is caused due to the partial or complete absence of melanin that is responsible for rendering pigmentation to the skin, eyes, and hair.

A wild albino red panda was also traced in the Meigu Dafengding National Nature Reserve located in China.

The defining features were its white hairs all over the body, nose, and ears. However, its mouth and eyes retained the black hue while its paws were brown.

Genes Possessed By The Albino Red Panda

Albinism has been noticed in several mammals, including deer, orangutans, kangaroos, and gorillas. However, the first glimpse of the rare albino red panda has left scientists from all over the world at the edge of their seats to know more about the albino gene among these wild animals.

The condition of albinism is passed on genetically when the young inherit the muted genes of its parents. These genes hinder melanin production of the body, which often results in whitening of the skin.

Another distinct feature is the pink to red eyes. However, it cannot be mentioned whether the offspring of the albino panda would inherit the albino gene, as research is still lacking in this field.

Adaptations Of An Albino Red Panda

Let's learn about the adaptations and mutations inherited by the Albino red panda.

This red eyed white panda of the Wolong National Nature Reserve is believed to be the first case of albinism among pandas. Unlike other albino animals, the albino panda of the Wolong National Nature Reserve doesn't appear to be weak or unstable.

In fact, researchers underscore that even after having albinism, the albino panda appeared to be physically strong, and its movements were also steady.

Although albinism isn't life-threatening, it causes skin whiteness and makes animals susceptible to vision problems, due to which they become vulnerable in front of predators. This threat hasn't been witnessed in this panda's case. Scientists and researchers have installed some more infrared cameras to study and keep track of the development and adaptation of this wild panda.

Can we conserve them?

It is quite evident that the global population of pandas is diminishing with time owing to multiple factors. In this precarious scenario, conservation measures are essential to save these wild bears from extinction in the future.

As per the documentation of the International Union for Conservation (IUCN) Red List, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is already qualified under the Vulnerable category with its population ranging between only 500-1,000 mature individuals, while on the other hand, the Red panda is Endangered.

In comparison, the albino red panda is extremely scarce, due to which its conservation becomes extremely crucial.

Conservation measures like creating awareness, involvement of the government, fundraising, and implementation of strict rules against hunting and poaching can help in securing the future of these wildlife animals.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for albino red panda then why not take a look at do pandas eat meat or red panda facts?

*Note that this image is that of a red panda. We've been unable to source an image of an albino red panda and have used an image of a red panda instead.

If you are able to provide us with a royalty free image of the albino red panda, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.