Food habits and space-use of red pandas Ailurus fulgens in the Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve, China: food effects and behavioural responses

Abstract

The red panda Ailurus fulgens Cuvier, 1825 is endemic to the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains. Many of its ecological traits are still poorly understood although important from a scientific standpoint as a highly specialized bamboo feeder. To understand its food habits and space-use, we carried out a field study from April 2002 to May 2003 in Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve, China. The results showed that red pandas almost exclusively fed on Bashania faberi, but not on Yushania brevipaniculata in the study area. Besides differences in nutritional quality, accessibility to food items is perhaps another factor affecting their utilization of bamboo species. B. faberi leaves are the highest in crude protein, being the primary year-round food source; new shoots and fruits of Sorbus, and Rubus are nutritious and digestible, seasonally occurred in their diet. Red pandas seemed to select most nutritious food items to feed on. The home range of red pandas averaged 2.2 km2 across individuals (2.6 km2 for the males and 1.7 km2 for the females), and overlapped extensively (ranging 18.9–78.1%). No significant difference was found in monthly percentage of total home range used among seasons and sexes. The daily movement distance was 455 m (447 m for the females and 463 m for the males), significantly affected by sexes and months. Our findings indicated that food resource significantly influenced behaviour of red pandas in foraging and space use, and their behavioural responses are adaptive being helpful to energy intake and maintenance.