Animals Featured by Sylvestermouse

It is unlikely that you will ever see a Red Panda anywhere other than in a zoo. They are very rare and these little solitary creatures are only about the size of a domestic cat.

Red Pandas are extremely hard to spot in the wild. One of the reasons they are so hard to find in the woods is simply because Red Pandas rest during the day. They usually become active at dusk and frolic around the forest until dawn. Since Red Pandas are normally sleeping in the trees during the day, their red fur coats blend right in with the tree bark and provide the perfect camouflage for this small beauty. Sometimes you can spot the Red Pandas dangling tails or catch a glimpse of their pretty white face. However, when it is cold, Red Pandas wrap their tails around their bodies covering those lovely white faces. The most you can hope to see then is a little red fur ball.

When you see the color and beauty of the Red Panda’s fur, it becomes very clear why Red Pandas are known as a “fire fox” in their native county of Nepal. The Red Panda's gorgeous red coats do blaze in the sun and their tails are thick and furry like a fox.

I love to watch Red Pandas climb up and down the trees. They don’t run like squirrels, Red Pandas just take their time and mosey down the tree like they have no particular place to be. They frequently stop to smell the air and look around. Most likely checking to make sure there are no predators around before they proceed. You would think Red Pandas couldn’t climb slowly down the trunk of a tree, but they definitely can. The Red Pandas partially retractable claws dig right into the bark of the tree trunk and their short little legs and ankles are easily strong enough to hold the weight of their bodies and keep them from tumbling headfirst to the ground.

It is a sad reality that Red Pandas are endangered. Because of their protected status, it is illegal to hunt Red Pandas in any country. However, unlike many endangered animals, Red Pandas seem to thrive in zoos. There have been over 300 Red Pandas born in zoos and that is truly most excellent.

Red Panda Notebook Binder by Sylvestermouse

You Can Read More About Red Pandas at: Hangin’ with A Red Panda

Image Credit for Print / Poster by Sylvestermouse

As babies, Grizzly Bears appear playful and approachable, however, where there are baby Grizzly Bears, there is sure to be a mother Grizzly Bear ready to defend her cubs at the least provocation.

With the exception of mother and cubs, Grizzly Bears are solitary creatures and prefer to be left alone. You may see a gathering of Grizzly Bears at a stream of salmon, but they do not come to the stream for company, they come to eat. It is always best to leave a Grizzly Bear alone. Because of their acute sense of smell, they know you are in the woods with them before you know they are with you. Grizzly Bears rarely hunt humans. They actually avoid contact with humans, but if you get to close to their food or cubs, you certainly could find yourself in grave danger.

Hunters are at greater risk than the average hiker. Grizzly Bear are intelligent enough to know that if they hear a gunshot, there is likely to be fresh meat. They will follow the source of that smell and sound to steal the game. A Grizzly Bear will fight a hunter for the food and the hunter is unlikely to fair well. It is best for the hunter to allow the Grizzly Bear to have his prize.

Grizzly Bear are powerful animals and they are actually beautiful to observe. The photos in this article were taken at the Memphis Zoo where there is a large area with a waterfall, swimming area for the Grizzly Bear and plenty of area for them to inhabit. These Grizzly Bears came to the Memphis Zoo as babies in September of 2009 and the photos were taken in October of that year. The Teton Trek in the Memphis Zoo is their home and they often appear as interested in looking at the zoo visitors as we are of watching them. At other times, the Grizzly Bears appear to be totally unaware of any spectators and perfectly content to ignore human presence.