Why is reproduction important for the red panda?

REPRODUCTION Red pandas breed from January through March in the northern hemisphere and June through August in the southern hemisphere. Mating occurs on the ground, and gestation appears to include a period of delayed implantation which is usually 114 to 145 days, but may be as short as 90 days or as long as 158 days. It is believed that a long gestation period may be due to a slow metabolic rate. Females create a nest in tree holes, branch forks, tree roots or bamboo thickets and line it with moss, leaves and other soft plant material. A litter of usually two cubs is born, each weighing between 4 and 5 ounces, and they are completely furred to protect them from the cold environment. Offspring stay with the mother for about a year, which is when they normally reach adult size. Young will reach sexual maturity at round 18 months. Red pandas have been bred with some reliability in zoos throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. As they decline in the wild, growing and maintaining self-sustaining populations in zoos is a high priority as a hedge against extinction and to learn more about species biology.