Study reveals red panda may be two distinct species

Endangered animal: It is reported that there are less than 10,000 red pandas still living in the wild. — Reuters

BEIJING: Genome sequencing has shown that red panda, the endangered furry mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, are two different species, providing a theoretical basis for more targeted conservation efforts.

Scientists previously divided red pandas into two subspecies with the Nujiang River in southwest China’s Yunnan province as the geological boundary.