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Rufus is, I hope, instantly recognisable as a Red
panda (Ailurus fulgens). They are not closely related to the giant panda as their name implies but are actually
distantly related to weasels and raccoons. They are small animals, about the size of a cat, that live mainly in
the trees in the Himalayas and southwestern China. Sadly habitat loss and poaching along with inbreeding have led to
them being classified as endangered.
Rufus has been created from a combination of different coloured
Schulte synthetic fabrics. He has been filled with a combination of bouncifill, plastic pellets in his tummy (for
added weight) and rubber pellets (in his tail) and has wire armature in his body/tail and all four limbs for poseability.
His legs are cotterpin & hardboard jointed and his paws have been needle and scissor-sculpted. He has realistic very dark brown glass taxidermy eyes set into specially constructed
sockets that are ringed by waxed cotton cord lids. His nose and claws have been sculpted from polymer clay and
have wire backs for secure attachment. His whiskers are created from horsehair.
Rufus has light
airbrush shading on his face and paws and measures just under 12" from nose to the base of his
tail (the tail is an additional 9") and is just over 6" in height when stood (to the tips of his ears).
Last but not least he has an Arcas Designs fabric tag sewn in under his bottom.
*Gone to live in Texas, USA*
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