Tulsi Ram Subedi

Habitat, Status and Conservation of Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens) in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Nepal

Ringal Bamboo forest - Red Panda Habitat.

Researcher (right) taking data with field assistant.

LocationCountryCategoriesDate
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve NepalAsia, Habitat, Mamals29 Sep 2008

The native of eastern Himalayas in south Asian countries; red panda, has no reliable numbers exists for the total population in Nepal and is very threatened due to the fragmentation of its natural habitats and its specialized diet characters. Poaching for 'good luck charm' hats, fur clothing, intrusion by herders in the nesting and roosting places and illegal pet trade are some common threats to species for survival. In Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve threats are associated with catching pandas using snare, habitat loss by deforestation, overgrazing by livestock impacting ringal bamboo growth and intrusion by herders and dogs. Red panda is now listed as endangered species (IUCN 2007) and as a schedule I or top priority endangered species facing threat of extinction and protected by Government of Nepal by National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973.

Due to the habitat specialization and its high sensitivity towards small change in the habitat red panda can be used as a focal species for conservation in the Himalayan temperate forests and an umbrella species for sub- alpine forests as well as an indicator of habitat quality.

The main aim of this project is to find out potential habitat, population status and diffuse conservation awareness among the locals to change their attitude for red panda conservation. To achieve the goals altitudinal line intercepts, Scat measurement and Paw print survey will be used following Sutherland 1996 and Yonzen 1989. The habitat of the red panda will be surveyed using plot less (Mueller- Dombois and Ellenberg 1974) and quadrate sampling method to access microhabitat characteristics. The conservation outreach programmes will be conducted for communities, herders, school teachers, students and local leaders.

It is expected that total population status and conservation threats of red panda will be identified and information on red panda distribution will be disseminated to the local communities/organizations, national level NGOs, INGOs and related governmental organizations for its participatory conservation actions. The conservation education to locals will help to discern the importance of wildlife species and their attitude towards red panda and other wildlife conservation will be changed by this project. Thus it will encourage the local to build civil society network for red panda conservation. The university post graduate students will be directly involved in field activities to transfer skills in next generation for the long term conservation, management and monitoring of red panda.

For more information contact subeditr@yahoo.com

Project Update: November 2008

Fresh scat of Red panda found on field.

On the basis of Red Panda presence absence questionnaires survey and interview with local people, herders and hunting reserve staffs; site for the study has been selected.

Five study blocks has been selected for the regular survey of Red Panda. Line intercept survey conducted found 10 scat samples of various age. The Red Panda habitat was observed carefully that found excessive pressure by grazing livestock and collection of ringal bamboo by the herders for their cattle and to use as wind shedder on livestock hut.

Project Update: June 2009

Red Panda hides found in local community.

Four new additional study sites for the red panda survey have been identified in the reserve that now totals 9 potential sites. Among them 7 sites lie in Barse block, one in Surtibang and one in Phagune block. The altitudinal line intercept method was adopted for the red panda survey. Scats, snow tracks/ paw prints, direct sightings of animals and feeding signs were considered as signs. Red panda signs were recorded using GPS (Garmin E-trex) within the 50 m distance of each altitudinal line intercept. Total of 14 line intercepts of variable length were surveyed giving a total intercept length of 6333 m. Total of 67 scats samples, 2 feeding signs and 4 snow tracks were recorded in the area.

The red panda habitat was surveyed using ten-tree plot less method. Total of 15 plots were surveyed in different blocks. An identified sign was considered as plot centre for the habitat survey.

Project Update: July 2009

Participants of Red Panda conservation awareness programme in a school of project area.

In and around the project area six conservation outreach programmes were conducted for target groups such as community forest user groups, community leaders, school teachers, students, herders, youth and mothers groups. Topics like general introduction to red panda, conservation/ legal status, distribution, threats, conservation importance and our role and responsibility in red panda conservation were incorporated. A total of 286 people participated in the programme among them 63 were from different community groups and 223 school students. Three Red Panda Conservation Committees (RPCC) were formed namely Sallathan Red Panda Conservation Committee in Sallanthan, Women Red Panda Conservation Group in Pakhathar and Liligurans Red Panda Conservation Committee in Chhentung with the aim of performing different community based conservation activities such as anti-poaching and control of fuel wood/timber/ringal bamboo collection and over grazing in Red Panda habitat.

Few copies of flex posters and 1000 copies of brochures entitle Conserve Endangered Red Panda and Its Habitat were developed in simple Nepali language covering general introduction and biology, threats, legal/distribution status and government laws, and conservation challenges.

An art competition on Red Panda and essay competitions entitled Red Panda and Challenges in Conservation were also conducted in the schools (Jyoti-Bikash primary school- Dhorpatan, Gyanodaya secondary school- Bobang and Shivalaya secondary school- Adhikarichaur) that are located within the Hunting Reserve and its buffer zone area. Total of 121 students participated in the art competition and 102 in the essay competition. To meet the interest of students in red panda conservation a Nature Conservation Group (NCG) was formed in Shivalaya Secondary school with the aim to involve the youth in conservation activities.

Final Report

Read about the activities undertaken and findings of this project in the final report below.

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Final Report.doc702 KB

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