PANDA, LESSER


Meaning of PANDA, LESSER in English

or cat bear or bear cat

Long-tailed nocturnal raccoonlike carnivore ( Ailurus fulgens , family Procyonidae) that inhabits high mountain forests in the Himalayas and adjacent eastern Asia.

It is 20–26 in. (50–65 cm) long, excluding the 12–20-in. (30–50-cm) bushy, faintly ringed tail. It weighs 6–10 lbs (3–4.5 kg) and has soft, thick, reddish brown fur. The face is white, with a red-brown stripe from the eyes to the mouth. It eats plants, especially bamboo, and fruits and insects. Though an agile climber, it mostly feeds while on the ground.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.