My Panda Update – Specifically, Red Panda

Yes, folks. I’ve been reading a lot about Google’s Panda and Penguin shenanigans. Without going into the gory details, these animals are Google algorithm updates that are basically advising websites and blogs to produce good original content.

So long as we do that, we’re all good. Concentrate on engaging your readers, they say.  Catchy titles. No dirty tricks. Minimize ads above the fold (the part of a blog or website you see on your screen when you open the link). Make the post easy to read. Easy, eh? It is, for me.

So here is this week’s all-important Panda Update. Here is the Panda I am most concerned about.  I met them at the Sikkim zoo.

The red panda is an endangered species

Its body is just slightly larger than a domestic cat with a bear-like body and beautiful, thick russet fur. The belly and limbs are black, and there are white markings on the side of the head and above its small eyes.

Red pandas are quite skillful and acrobatic animals that predominantly stay in trees, as we noticed when we visited them. Almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas. They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to cover themselves in winter, presumably for warmth. Primarily an herbivore, the name panda is said to come from the Nepali word ‘ponya,’ which means bamboo or plant-eating animal.

According to the Smithsonian magazine, here are some amazing facts about the red panda:

• They Are the Only “True” Panda
• They Mostly Eat Vegetation
• They are Arboreal Acrobats
• Their Fur Provides Camouflage
• Their Home Is Fragmented
• They Are Smelly Socializers
• Cubs Are Playful
• They Can Endure Cold Weather

Pleasure. Happiness. Celebrating the red panda!