International Red Panda Day is observed
annually on the third Saturday in September, which falls on September 16 this
year, in order to raise awareness to species that is on the verge of
extinction. The Red Panda Network introduced the holiday in 2010, and it was
celebrated for the first time in September of that same year. The event is
crucial because it raises awareness of red pandas, a species that many people
aren't even familiar with.
Scientific Name
Ailurus
fulgens
The red panda has a physique that resembles a
bear and thick russet hair; it is somewhat bigger than a domestic cat. Its
little eyes and the side of its head are white, while its abdomen and limbs are
black with white markings. Red pandas are very adept and acrobatic creatures
that prefer to live in trees. Red pandas are interesting since they are carnivorous
and adore bamboo shoots. Snow is a favourite of red pandas. They sleep for 55%
of the day. Red pandas are also known as Himalayan raccoon, bear-cat, and firefox.
The Red panda species was discovered in isolated habitat patches throughout the
mountainous regions of Nepal, India, China, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Red pandas can
go into dormancy in extremely cold weather, which causes their metabolic rate
to drop and then rise periodically as they awaken to search for food.
Role in food chain
Red pandas engage in a variety of interactions
with other living things. They are first and foremost grubs, insects, and little
birds' predators. They are also a source of food for clouded and snow leopards.
In a similar way, owls and hawks eat red panda pups as prey.
Red pandas contribute significantly to the
ecosystem of their natural environments. As they wander through the forest,
they aid in the dispersal of seeds, and their diet of bamboo can aid in
regulating the growth of this quickly expanding plant. Red pandas are so
essential to maintaining the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forest.
IUCN Status
According to International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red panda is endangered.
Reasons of Declining Population
The Eastern Himalayas make up over half of the
red panda's natural habitat. Red panda numbers are declining over much of their
area as a result of the destruction of their forest habitat, which includes
nesting trees and bamboo. There may only be 2,500 red pandas left in the wild
after a 50% fall in the species' global population over the past 20 years.
Threat No. 1 is habitat loss. Development initiatives such as highways,
hydropower, electric transmission lines, mining, residential and agricultural
conversions, and anthropogenic forest fires are fragmenting habitat.
The two main causes of red panda mortality are
illness and loose dogs. Red pandas can contract seven different types of
gastrointestinal parasites from dogs. Another danger from stray dogs is the
canine distemper virus, which is very contagious and always lethal to red
pandas. While there are very few dangers to panda populations in China, the red
panda faces significant threats in Himalayan nations like Nepal, India, and
Bhutan. Red panda poaching has greatly increased in Nepal, but its effects are
still unknown.
Red pandas live in habitats with a fairly
small temperature range, thus climate
change is another issue. The movement of expanding human populations and
animal herders will also have an impact on the animals' migration as they must
shift to higher elevations as a result of rising temperatures. Higher ambient
temperatures are detrimental to the survival probability of red panda babies
born in Himalayan zoos, according to data analysis published earlier this year.
Conservation Strategies
Protecting against habitat loss, reducing
habitat degradation, reducing red panda fatalities (through poaching and
removing man-made risks), and raising awareness are the four main categories of
activity that the International Union for Conservation of Nature has
prioritised for red panda conservation.
In nations where red pandas are found,
management plans call for "protected areas" with the goal of
preserving both red pandas and other sympatric endangered species. The trend of
protected areas establishment is growing in the terrain where pandas are found,
and many techniques, such community forestry, managing community conservation
sites, and constructing corridors, are used for effective conservation. To
maintain the long-term survival of this red panda population, the International
Conservation Fund of Canada is fostering stewardship among important
stakeholders within the local community. Additionally, the organisation is
gathering scientific data on red panda distribution, abundance, habitats, and
current and emerging threats as well as identifying conservation hotspots for
this species. It is also establishing long-term community-based monitoring and
anti-poaching initiatives in 40 community forests.
Whether or not to preserve this
"indicator species" may rely on how varied and plentiful its food
supply is. The public should be informed about the usage of alternate energy
sources, researchers say, and bamboo planting is just one of the initiatives
that should be prioritised to stop further forest devastation.
About the Author: Nimra Cheema, being a
zoologist, has a keen interest in biodiversity and how nature influence living
beings.
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