Red pandas are native to the Eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. Their range includes countries such as Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, and China, particularly in the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan. They inhabit temperate forests with bamboo understories at high altitudes, typically between 2,000 and 4,300 meters (6,600 to 14,100 feet) elevation
. Specifically, red pandas live in:
- Nepal (including protected areas within the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests)
- India (states like Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh)
- Bhutan
- Northern Myanmar (Burma)
- Southwestern China (Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet provinces)
They prefer dense forests with bamboo thickets and are arboreal, spending much of their time in trees
. The total estimated habitat area for red pandas is about 47,100 km² (18,200 sq mi) across these regions
. In summary, red pandas are from the mountainous forest regions of the Eastern Himalayas and neighboring parts of China and Myanmar.
