00:00Everyone who sees a red panda hears the same explanation.
00:03Its red color is natural camouflage against the red lichen covering Himalayan trees.
00:08But there's a gap in that explanation nobody mentions.
00:12Red pandas don't live in trees all the time.
00:15They spend a large part of their activity on the ground,
00:18among grass and brown and green rocks.
00:20And in that environment, bright red doesn't hide it.
00:24On the contrary, it makes it more visible to any predator.
00:27Recent genetic studies have revealed that this animal's red color
00:31is linked to the same genetic mutation that gives the giant panda its black and white coloring,
00:37even though the two species aren't directly closely related evolutionarily.
00:41This suggests the reason isn't just simple camouflage.
00:45It may have something to do with thermoregulation
00:47or even communication between members of the species.
00:50So the real explanation is more complex than just to blend in with the trees.
00:56And science still hasn't reached a definitive final answer.
00:59So, what did you think explained the red panda's color before this video?
01:03Let me know your thoughts.
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