Red Panda Facts Behavior, Habitat, Diet

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a furry mammal with a lush red coat, a bushy tail, and a masked face. Although both the red panda and the giant panda live in China and eat bamboo, they are not close relatives. The giant panda is more closely related to a bear, while the red pandas next of kin is a raccoon or skunk. Scientists have long debated the red pandas classification; currently, the creature is the only member of the family Ailuridae. Fast Facts: Red Panda Scientific Name: Ailurus fulgensCommon Name: Red pandaBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 20-25 inch body; 11-23 inch tailWeight: 6.6-13.7 poundsDiet: OmnivoreLifespan: 8-10 yearsHabitat: Southwestern China and the Eastern HimalayasPopulation: HundredsConservation Status: Endangered Description A red panda is about as big as a domestic cat. Its body ranges from 20 to 25  inches and its tail is 11 to 23  inches. Males are slightly heavier than females, with the average adult panda weighing 6.6 to 13.7 pounds. A red panda has reddish fur, a masked face, and a banded tail. Feng Wei Photography / Getty Images The red pandas back features soft, reddish-brown fur. Its belly and legs are dark brown or black. The pandas face has distinctive white markings, somewhat similar to those of a raccoon. The bushy tail has six rings, which serve as camouflage against trees. Thick fur covers the animals paws, protecting them from the cold of snow and ice. A red pandas body is adapted for feeding on bamboo. Its front legs are shorter than its hind legs, giving it a waddling walk. Its curved claws are semi-retractable. Like the giant panda, the red panda has a false thumb extending from its wrist bone that aids in climbing. The red panda is one of only a few species able to rotate its ankles to control a head-first descent from a tree. Habitat and Distribution Red panda fossils have been found as far away as North America, but today the animal is only found in the temperate forests of southwestern China and the eastern Himalayas. Groups are geographically separated from each other and fall into two subspecies. The western red panda (A. f. fulgens) lives in the western portion of the range, while Styans red panda (A. f. styani) lives in the eastern part. Styans red panda tends to be larger and darker than the western red panda, but the pandas appearance is highly variable even within a subspecies. Red Panda Global Distribution. IUCN Diet Bamboo is the staple of a red pandas diet. Like the giant panda, the red panda cant digest the cellulose in bamboo, so it has to eat a huge amount of bamboo shoots (4.8 kg or 8.8 lb) and leaves (1.5 kg or 3.3 lb) each day to survive. In other words, a red panda eats its weight in bamboo every day! About two-thirds of a red pandas diet consist of bamboo leaves and shoots. The other third includes leaves, berries, mushrooms, flowers, and sometimes fish and insects. Due to its low caloric intake, nearly every waking hour of a pandas life is spent eating. One interesting fact about the red panda is that it is the only non-primate known to taste artificial sweeteners. Scientists speculate the ability helps the animal identify a natural compound in food with a similar chemical structure, influencing its diet. The red panda is adapted to spend its waking hours eating bamboo. retales botijero / Getty Images Behavior Red pandas are territorial and solitary except during the mating season. They are crepuscular and nocturnal, spending the day sleeping in trees and using the night to mark territory with urine and musk and to seek food. They clean themselves, much like cats, and communicate using twittering sounds and whistles. Pandas are only comfortable at temperatures ranging from 17 to 25  Ã‚ °C (63 to 77  Ã‚ °F). When cold, the red panda curls its tail over its face to conserve heat. When hot, it stretches on a branch and dangles its legs to cool off. Red pandas are preyed upon by snow leopards, mustelids, and humans. When threatened, a red panda will try to escape by running up a rock or tree. If cornered, it will stand on its hind legs and extend its claws to appear larger and threatening. A red panda standing on its hind legs and extending its claws may look cute, but its actually a threat behavior. Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images Reproduction and Offspring Red pandas become sexually mature at 18 months of age and fully mature at age two or three years. The mating seasons runs from January to March, during which mature pandas may mate with multiple partners. Gestation lasts from 112 to 158 days. Females gather grass and leaves to build a nest a few days before giving birth to one to four deaf and blind cubs. Initially, the mother spends all of her time with the cubs, but after a week she starts venturing out to feed. The cubs open their eyes around 18 days of age and are weaned around six to eight months of age. They remain with their mother until the next litter is born. Males only help raise young if the pandas live in very small groups. On average, a red panda lives between eight and 10 years. Conservation Status The IUCN has classified the red panda as endangered since 2008. Worldwide population estimates range from 2500 to 20,000 individuals. The estimate is a best guess because pandas are difficult to spot and count in the wild. The species population has declined about 50 percent over the last three generations and is expected to continue to fall at an accelerated rate. The red panda faces multiple threats, including deforestation of bamboo, increased death from canine distemper due to human encroachment, habitat loss, and poaching for the pet and fur trades. Over half of red panda deaths are directly related to human activity. Captive breeding programs at several zoos are helping protect the red pandas genetic diversity and raise awareness of the animal. The Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands manages the red panda international studbook. In the United States, the Knoxville Zoo in Knoxville, Tennessee, holds the record for the largest number of red panda births in North America. Can You Keep a Red Panda as a Pet? Although the red panda is cute and cuddly-looking and breeds well in captivity, there are several reasons its not a common pet. A red panda needs a massive amount of fresh bamboo each day. It requires a large enclosure, canine distemper vaccination, and flea treatment (infestation can be lethal). Red pandas use anal glands to mark territory, producing a strong smell. Pandas are nocturnal in captivity, so they dont interact much with people. Even hand-raised red pandas have been known to get aggressive toward their keepers. Former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi kept red pandas in a special enclosure. They had been presented to her family as a gift. Today, obtaining a pet red panda is inadvisable (and often illegal), but you can aid conservation efforts in zoos and in the wild by adopting a panda from the WWF or Red Panda Network. Sources Glatston, A.; Wei, F.; Than Zaw Sherpa, A. Ailurus fulgens. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 2015. IUCN.  doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T714A45195924.enGlatston, A. R. Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda. William Andrew, 2010. ISBN 978-1-4377-7813-7.Glover, A. M. The Mammals of China and Mongolia. New York: American Museum of Natural History. pp. 314–317, 1938.Nowak, R. M. Walker’s Mammals of the World. 2 (sixth ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 695–696, 1999. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9.

The Transition From Racial Segregation And Discrimination

According to Democratic Peace Theory, nations that are democracies do not engage with each other in direct conflict. The trade relations, democratic norms and values deter any kind of direct violence between nation states. Conflict is redirected from the battlefield to political spheres where participatory polities allow citizens to have a voice, as well as economic markets, to provide gainful employment and trade between individuals and societies. However, efforts at post-conflict reconstruction too often exchange cessation of direct violence for economic violence - through income inequality, exploitation and oppression. Governments need to carefully plan out economic policies to avoid a â€Å"second conflict†. This paper will examine South Africa as a case study to look at the transition from racial segregation and discrimination to economic isolation and marginalization. Actors that shape and influence this transitory phase include the World Bank, the IMF, local politicians , foreign investors and of course, the people. In post-conflict countries, the process of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration following the end of direct-violence require the crucial step of economic revitalization and job creation. Intergovernmental agencies, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), assist the government to provide aid, support and international monetary stability. Post-conflict reconstruction of war-torn nations often relies on loans from the IMF, which are stipulatedShow MoreRelatedThe Emergence Of The Urban Ghettos1347 Words   |  6 Pagesservants and laborers in southern cities, African Americans lived side by side with their employers. Even those living in northern cities were more likely to share neighborhoods with whites rather than in racially segregated communities. 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Natura Case Study Free Essays

Individual Natura case study preparation paper Whether Natura, the Brazilian beauty company, based on biodiversity of Brazil, should expand its business in Russian market is the critical issue of this case study. However, it is necessary to inspect pre-issue before we evaluate the international investment strategy. After reviewing whether the company is capable of dealing with globalization, we move on to measure the Natura’s international marketing strategy. We will write a custom essay sample on Natura Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now Is Russian the best next step for Natura’s international foot for? If yes, we propose the possible alternatives for entering this market by minimizing the political risk and operating risk. (1) Was the company ready to go globalization? Evaluating criteria as follows: * Organization structure culture Natura’s unique organization cultures are open-minded for opinion-expressing, transparent decision-making process, and intimacy with its stakeholders. The strong corporate value shared by every individual within this group make the expatriates from this company could convey the brand DNA in foreign market. * Brand visibility in global markets Natura has a strong market position in Brazil, and continued building up the brand image in Latin American countries. However, it brand visibility is not strong enough in the rest of world and the brand image is weak in the European countries as well. * Global resourcing and distribution network The raw material, production, product development is all in Brazil. Natura has yet built up the global logistic network; therefore, the distribution cost and inventory management would be the major problem for the company while it steps out globally. Insufficient experience in expansion of global business,† dealing with different cultures, different social structure, and different consumer behaviors† Much of the international business experience of Natura is limited in Latin American countries. Although there is diversification in culture, consumer behaviors, the closed countries were easier to deal with the differences and minimize the marketing difficulties. However, for the res t of markets with totally different language, culture background, religion, regulations, Natura has no sufficient experience and knowledge to manage it. Sufficient talents in global management During this period, there have no sufficient managers with global vision and management expertise in Natura. Even though managers from other firms have the skill in running direct selling, they could not convey the company’s value and brand DNA. This shortage of human resource would be another obstacle for Natura’s globalization. Sub-conclusion: After analyzing Natura’s competences in globalization, we found that Natura was just at the beginning stage of globalization although it started its international business from 1982. From the financial result, we still could find out that Natura had no prominent performance in foreign market. (2) Was the Russia is the best choice to next step in Globalization? Is Russian experience valuable to the Naura’s globalization? Assessment of Russian market * Bureaucratic system * Unawareness of product quality and unconcern about the environment and nature. * Russian was becoming familiar with the direct selling; therefore, the education cost for sales rep. and consumer would be relatively lower than other markets which have low acceptance in direct selling. Assessment of Russian cosmetic and skin-care market * Consumer in Russia did not care about the natural products and knew nothing about Natura. They regarded the international famous brands and local brands. Natura lacked of brand image as strong as PG or L’Oreal. * It took time to build up its own local network in stakeholders since there is no manager who can deliver the brand DNA knew the Russian market. * Mastering the delivery network in the Russian markets would be the potential problem for Natura. Natura would face the challenges in global logistic while its products were manufactured, shipped from Brazil. The shipping cost, inventory management, timeliness of products, ordering system within subsidiary in Russia and parent company would be the key issue to expand business in Russia. * The weather in Russia is totally different from Brazil. It would be a main concern that Russian would not like to trust a brand from Amazon region. * The local regulation in cosmetics and skin-care should also be taken into account. Sub-conclusion: After assessing the key factors in entering Russian market, we can find that the Russian market is not mature enough to penetrate for Natura which was not equipped with sufficient experience in global business management and had a strong willing to preserve its brand DNA. Since Russian consumers were not respectful the nature and environment, the market did not attached to this brand DNA in that moment. Furthermore, due to the political situation and business environment, the experience in Russia could not duplicate or be applied after micro-adjustment in other western countries. 3) Following preceding question, if yes, what is the best entry strategy for the Russian market? If no, what is the best next step for Natura in globalization? Combined the assessments above, stepping in Russian market would not so urgent or profitable for Natura. For the international development, the best next step in globalization for Natura should focus on the grand American market. There are several mai n pros to implement this strategy, as follows: * USA market has the similar diversified ethnic background and furthermore, the Latin American is one of the main ethnic origins. American consumers are relatively mature in product knowledge and appreciate the natural skin-care product. Their pursuit in beauty is as vigorous as the consumer in Latin American. * The business model of direct selling in USA is mature and consumers used to shop products in mail ordering and direct selling. * Finally, the infrastructure of logistic in local market is consummate. * For Natura, it would be a big step in globalization if it could be successful in USA market. The success in USA market could build up the brand awareness and enhance its position in bio-diversity cosmetic and skin care product. Still, there were cons to enter USA market, such as facing more fierce competition from other international companies and it would be required more CAPEX to invest in the grand market. If Natura take the Russian market as the must-be market, then we would recommend this company cooperate with the local leading company, Kalina, who had the strong retail network and knew the local market very well. Natura could use the franchise model to expand the Russian market and to build up its brand image and awareness through the Kalina’s advantages. After Natura gaining experience and building up strong brand image, it could change its business model and enhance its brand DNA and values. Under this strategy, there exist some potential risks. For example, Natura had to make a completed regulation about the branding in order to preserve the consistency and its values. Natura had to keep tight connection with franchisee to learn more local experience and react to market needs. At the end of cooperation, it might have to pay higher price to buy back the franchising right if its products performed very well in Russia. How to cite Natura Case Study, Free Case study samples

Lebron James free essay sample

Lebron James is one of the greatest professional basketball players ever. He plays for the Cleveland Cavilers. He has won many awards, accomplished many things, and much more. Here are some things about Lebron James. Lebron James was born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio. He was a natural athlete and played football and basketball. He attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. He was a starter his freshman year for Fightin’ Irish. He was named Ohio’s â€Å"Mr.Basketball† his sophomore year and the first one as well. He also became the first sophomore ever selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team. In his junior year, his stats improved. He averaged 29. 0 points, 8. 3 rebounds, 5. 7 assists and 3. 3. steals. and was named Mr. Basketball of Ohio again. He earned a spot on the All-USA First Team and was named the 2001-2002 boys’ basketball Gatorade National Player of the Year. This is where he got his nickname King James. We will write a custom essay sample on Lebron James or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He appeared in SLAM Magazine which began his nationwide exposure. However, this caused the team to be forced to move up to a higher division, Division II and lost its state title to Roger Bacon High School. He attempted to declare for the NBA draft after the season ended, petitioning for an adjustment to the NBA’s draft eligibility rules, which at the time required prospective players to have at least completed high school. The petition didnt pass but his popularity forced his team to start playing and practicing at the University of Akron. Now he plays SF, Small Forward, for one of my favorite teams the Cleveland Cavaliers.