The central idea of the passage is:
Red pandas and giant pandas belong to different families despite sharing a name.
Are Red Pandas Really Pandas?
Many people wonder if red pandas are true pandas like their larger counterparts, the giant pandas. The answer lies in their scientific classification. While both red pandas and giant pandas share the word "panda" in their names, they belong to different families. Giant pandas belong to the family Ursidae, which includes bears, while red pandas belong to their own unique family, Ailuridae. Despite their shared name, red pandas are not closely related to giant pandas and are classified as their own distinct species.
Red pandas, scientifically known as Ailurus fulgens, are smaller and have distinctive physical characteristics that set them apart from giant pandas. They have reddish-brown fur, bushy tails, and striking facial markings, which give them a unique appearance. Additionally, red pandas primarily inhabit the temperate forests of the Himalayas and southwestern China, while giant pandas are found in the bamboo forests of central China. Though they may share some similarities in diet and habitat, red pandas and giant pandas are separate species with their own evolutionary histories.
Question 1
What is the central idea of the passage?(1 point)
Red pandas and giant pandas share the same habitat and diet.
Red pandas and giant pandas belong to different families despite sharing a name.
Red pandas are closely related to bears in the Ursidae family.
Red pandas and giant pandas are identical species with minor physical differences.
1 answer