In which Indian state is this the state animal?
Assam
Sikkim
Tripura
Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: Sikkim
The red panda, known to be one of the Earth’s living fossils as it has existed for over 10 million years, is a small arboreal mammal found in the forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan and the northern mountains of Myanmar and southern China.
It is the state animal of Sikkim, but is also found in western Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling district of West Bengal and parts of Meghalaya.
The species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN red list of Threatened Species and under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Red pandas occupy a specialized habitat of temperate broadleaf forests and subalpine conifers, dominated by fir, Himalayan hemlock, oak, maple, rhododendron, juniper, and bamboo thickets.
Red pandas spend about 13 hours a day foraging and eating.
According to a study, the females eat about 20,000 bamboo leaves in a single day.
Red pandas are shy and quiet. They are also solitary animals except while mating.
The numbers of Red pandas are sharply declining with only 300 left in the wild in Sikkim and less than 10,000 individuals globally.
Red pandas are often killed when they get caught in traps that are set for other animals such as wild pigs and deer. Poaching is another reason for their endangered status as they are widely known from their distinctive pelts in China and Myanmar.
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