Animal field note
Forest acrobat
Red Panda
Red pandas use their fluffy tails like cozy blankets when it gets cold.
Let's look closer
Why is that tail so wonderfully fluffy?
red pandaβs thick, ringed tail helps it balance while climbing through treetops. On chilly mountain nights, it curls into a ball and wraps that tail around its face and body to hold in warmth.
Look for this
Explorer clue
Notice the rusty-red fur, white face markings, and long striped tail. Those markings help red pandas blend into mossy, reddish tree branches.
Your turn to wonder
Curiosity question
If you had a tail that could help you climb, what kind of places would you explore?