New Delhi: Pangolians and red pandas are some of the most trafficked animals in the world. Endemic to the eastern Himalayas, both are threatened by a combination of geographic and socioeconomic factors fuelling illegal wildlife trafficking.
International Red Panda Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of September every year to raise awareness about the endangered red panda species. Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), red pandas are endangered and India has 5000-6000 red pandas in total, which accounts for 50% of its global population (estimated in 2015).
Red pandas are facing a number of threats, including habitat loss, poaching, and climate change. Their natural habitat is being destroyed by deforestation, mining, and development. Poachers kill red pandas for their fur and body parts, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Climate change is also affecting red pandas, as it is causing their bamboo forests to shrink and become more fragmented.
International Red Panda Day is an important opportunity to highlight the challenges that red pandas are facing and to mobilize support for their conservation. In India, there are a number of organizations that are working to protect red pandas, including the Red Panda Network, the Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the Singalila National Park.
Here are some specific ways that International Red Panda Day is relevant in India:
- It raises awareness about the red panda and the threats it faces. Many people in India are not aware of the red panda or the fact that it is endangered. International Red Panda Day helps to educate the public about this unique and important species.
- It encourages people to take action to protect red pandas. There are a number of things that people can do to help red pandas, such as supporting conservation organizations, reducing their consumption of bamboo products, and advocating for policies that protect red panda habitat.
- It celebrates the red panda and its importance to the Indian ecosystem. Red pandas play an important role in the Indian ecosystem by helping to control populations of insects and small mammals. They are also a popular tourist attraction, which helps to generate revenue for local communities.
Here are some specific ways that you can celebrate International Red Panda Day in India:
- Learn more about red pandas. Visit the websites of conservation organizations such as the Red Panda Network and the Wildlife Conservation Trust to learn more about red pandas and the threats they face.
- Support conservation organizations. Donate to or volunteer with organizations that are working to protect red pandas.
- Reduce your consumption of bamboo products. Bamboo is a major food source for red pandas, and overharvesting of bamboo can contribute to their decline.
- Advocate for policies that protect red panda habitat. Contact your elected representatives and urge them to support policies that protect forests and other habitats that are important for red pandas.
- Celebrate the red panda! Share photos and videos of red pandas on social media and use the hashtag #InternationalRedPandaDay.
In 1994, Darjeeling Zoo started a red panda conservation breeding programme and by 2003, it had 22 red pandas , which were slowly released in the wild. Despite these efforts, the red panda population in the national park shows no signs of increment.