Red Panda: Neither Red nor a Panda

By Our Wildlife Correspondent

Every third Saturday of September of the year is known as International Red Panda Day. This year it falls on September 16 and is celebrated to spread awareness regarding Red Pandas- yet another species that is near extinction mostly due to anthro- pogenic factors.

The World Wildlife Fund estimates that there are less than 10,000 red pandas remaining in the world. However, some experts believe the number could be as low as 2,500. Red pandas are classified as endangered by the IUCN. Over the past two decades, their population has declined by as much as 40 percent and they continue to face significant threats due to cli- mate change, deforestation and poach- ing. Interestingly, the red panda (Ailurus fulgens), is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China.

It has dense reddish-brown (not fully red) fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muz- zle and a ringed tail. Its look, size and weight are more like a large house cat. The two currently recognised sub- species, the Himalayan and the Chinese red panda, genetically diverged about 250,000 years ago. Red pandas were first described in 1825 as members of the racoon family, but later, DNA analysis suggested that red pandas might belong in the bear fami- ly. However, later genetic research placed red pandas in their own family. But the Red Panda is not at all the Giant Panda found only in China.

This endangered species faces many threats for survival. One of the biggest issues is the destruction of the animal’s habitat. The habitat and most of the corridors of Red Panda are outside the Protected Area network. Due to this, they face risks of habitat fragmentation and destruction due to ongoing devel- opmental activities as well as direct anthropogenic stresses.

Grazing livestock and the demand for firewood also leads to the loss of habi- tat. Red pandas are affected by climate change as rising temperatures force the animal to move to higher elevations while also increasing the risk of forest fires. Red pandas are also killed for their fur, skin and meat. They also get caught in traps set for other animals. They are also captured live and traded as exotic pets.

Numerous broad-based international initiatives are in place to save red pan- das. They are a protected species in India, Nepal, Myanmar and China. Conservation groups also work with local communities to develop impro- vised animal husbandry methods to mitigate the threats. Regional captive breeding programmes for the red panda have been established in zoos around the world.

Some Red Pandas breed in captivity have been usefully released to the wild in India. About the size of a large house cat, the red panda has a striking appearance with its rust-coloured coat, white round face, short snout and pointed ears. Even though red pandas are classified as carnivorous, bamboo makes up 95 percent of their diet. The animals spent most of their time in the trees eating. Red pandas are solitary, nocturnal animals that are most active at dawn and dusk. Like others in the cat family, it hibernates and uses its long and thick tail as a blanket since it lives in cold climates. They live prima- rily in trees and most are found in high mountain forests of Eastern Himalayas. In India, the largest suit- able habitat for the Red Panda is in Kanchenjunga National Park, Sikkim. There are Red Pandas in Arunachal Pradesh too.

Due to its largely herbivorous diet, the red panda plays an incredibly crucial role in maintaining its surrounding ecosystem and habitat. As such, the red panda is an indicator species for the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf for- est ecosystem, their presence or absence providing insights into the quality and condition of the environ- ment. Growing international awareness sur- rounding their plight has further earned red pandas the role of a flag- ship species, as fellow vulnerable and endangered Himalayan-endemic species inevitably benefit from efforts to protect the red panda and the habi- tat they share.