The red panda has a reddish brown fur made of long coarse hairs with a dense undercoat. Their fur and tail is used to keep them warm and prevent heat loss. The tail is also used to maintain balance. Small Body Mass They have a small body mass of 7-14 pounds that helps them balance themselves on smaller branches. It also allows them to get away from predators faster. Enlarged Wrist Bone Their enlarged wrist bone is basically their " false thumb" that helps them climb trees and grasp bamboo. Giant pandas also have this feature.