Daily Pic of All 208 Mammals of Nepal: Day 1. Ailurus fulgens “Red Panda” Endangered Status
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Daily Pic of All 208 Mammals of Nepal: Day 1. Ailurus fulgens “Red Panda” Endangered Status
View on r/Nepal by Send-Great-Tit-Pics
***Ailurus fulgens*** (Cuvier, 1825)
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**Common Names**
Red Panda (English); Habre, Hobrakpa, Punde Kundo (Nepali)
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**Species Description**
Red-ginger colour coat on the body, with white snout, inner ears and cheek patches. Dark brown/ black legs and paws. Bushy tail with rings of alternating light/dark red colour.
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**Species Ecology**
Red Pandas occur only in the temperate forest zone of the Eastern Himalayan eco-region characterised by *Abies spectabilies, Tsuga dumosa, Aesculus spp., Betula utilis, Pinus wallichiana, Quercus spp., Rhododendron spp.* and Acer forests with bamboo thicket in the understory with humus ground. Red Pandas are found between elevations of 2,800 m up to 3,600 m. This species is largely vegetarian, with a diet consisting predominantly of young leaves and shoots of bamboo, but also feeds on fruits, roots, grasses, acorns, lichens, insects, grubs, small mammals, eggs and birds. Red Pandas become sexually mature at 18 months and produce one to four young after a gestation period of approximately 134 days.
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**Conservation Status**
Global: Vulnerable C1
National: Endangered C2a(i)
Rationale for assessment: The Red Panda (*Ailurus fulgens*) has been nationally assessed as Endangered under criterion C due to a small population of 317-582 individuals spilt across 11 subpopulations, with the highest estimated number of individuals in a single subpopulation (Kanchanjunga) of 67. The population in Nepal continues to face declines due to human disturbances, deforestation and grazing of livestock in addition to forest fires, poaching for the species pelt and death caused by feral or local dogs. Although the Red Panda mainly occurs within conservation areas this species remains threatened and in decline. It does occur in neighbouring parts of China but it is not known if individuals ever move across the borders.
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**Legal status**
CITES Appendix I Listed in the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 (1973) as protected priority species.
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**National Population Size**
Total: 317-582
Trend: Declining
The most recent population estimate for the Red Panda in Nepal considered 11 subpopulations (Annapurnna, Manaslu, Darchula, Dhorpatan, Gaurishankar, Kanchanjungha, Khaptad, Langtang, Rara, Sagarmatha, Sakhuwasabha East, Sakhuwasabha West ) with a total population ranging between 317 and 582 individuals. The global population is estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 individuals.
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**National Distribution**
The Red Panda is distributed from Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung districts in the east to Darchula district in the west Nepal. A recent GIS based study suggests a gradual decline in probability of occurrence of Red Panda from east to west Nepal. A similar study estimates 67% of Red Panda habitat within the Sacred Himalayan Landscape area. Red Pandas occur within the protected areas of Annapurna Conservation Area, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Makalu-Barun National Park, Manaslu Conservation Area, Rara National Park, Sagarmatha National Park, Lantang National Park. Outside of protected areas Red Pandas occur in the districts of Dolakha, Ilam, Panchthar, Ramechhap, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu and Taplejung district.
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**Distribution outside Nepal**
Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar.
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**Main Threats**
– Habitat loss and degradation due to human disturbances, cleaing for livestock grazing and agriculture.
– Man-made forest fires.
– Poaching.
– Injury/death caused by local dogs.
– Inbreeding.
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**Conservation Measures in Place**
Approximately 22.5% of potential Red Panda habitat in Nepal is protected by a network of protected areas. A number of organisations including Red Panda Network (Nepal and US), WWF, NTNC, DNPWC have been conducting scientific research and community-based Red Panda conservation. This includes a long-term monitoring and a community-based conservation project in lower Kanchenjunga Mountain Complex; development of an action plan for Red Panda in Langtang National Park; survey of the species in the Sacred Himalayan Landscape; a GIS based nationwide assessment of red panda distribution and a Red Panda Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) workshop in 2010.
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**Conservation Recommendations**
i) Identify and verify potential and key habitats of Red Panda.
ii) Obtain accurate baseline data on the distribution and population status of the species in identified areas based on the six complexes and 11 subpopulations.
iii) Conduct scientific research on genetic diversity, population structure and habitat and ecology of the Red Panda in Nepal.
iv) Set up protection and management programmes for key habitats through government and community participation.
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**Source** – The Status of Nepal’s Mammals: The National Red List Series (2020)
Finally an interesting notf from r/nepal
Thank you for posting this , I haven’t seen one in the wild but I have one here in Adelaide zoo. They are one of my favorites and they are absolutely adorable.
That’s the old map of nepal