Two Red Pandas?!
Today I found out that the totally adorable creatures known as red pandas are not one species, but two. I began my morning the usual way, sipping some coffee while browsing through some news sites when I scrolled upon an article on BBC News reporting on a new study has concluded red pandas make up two distinct species based on genetic and morphological differences. Naturally, I wanted to know more, so I looked up the actual research article posted in Science Advances on the 26th of this month and gave it a quick read. It did not disappoint.
The research tells the tale of separation, near disaster, finding identity, and an uncertain future. Prior to this discovery, red pandas were already endangered so a river essentially cutting the population in two makes their situation dire. At the moment, more research is needed to determine appropriate conservation strategies for both species, with the Himalayan red pandas being less genetically diverse than the Chinese red pandas. Both species face similar threats, like habitat loss, but because they are literally on opposite sides of a river and have unique gene pools, they require individual conservation plans moving forward.
It is research like this that excites me so and lights a fire within me to share the discoveries being made each and every day. This is especially exciting to me because I found this article just a couple of days after reading the research suggesting snakes play a role in seed dispersal. Maybe it’s a little weird of me, but I choose to embrace my weirdness and allow the biology induced giddiness to ensue! I definitely look forward to reading and sharing more research as this year progresses and new discoveries are announced.
Articles of interest:
