Panda roux

Each of the three recent Population and Habitat Viability Analyses (PHVAs) listed the threats to Red Panda assessed to be most prevalent in their country/countries. Several problems occur throughout the species's range, albeit with some variation in assessed impact. The major threats are habitat loss and fragmentation; habitat degradation; and physical threats. These are all compounded by the region's increasing human population; climate change; natural disasters; inadequate enforcement of laws and regulations; mostly low political will and interest; political instability (in some regions); low coordination of stakeholders, funding and human resources; trans-boundary issues facilitating poaching, illegal collection of non-timber forest products, and Red Panda trade (skins and other body parts); and the movement of cattle herders/grazers during the breeding season.

Natural disasters include cyclones; landslides; floods; heavy snowfall and rainfall; bamboo flowering (which results in death of the plant and typically occurs synchronously across large areas); forest fires; poor regeneration of shelter trees; weed infestation and invasive alien species; and disease outbreaks. Although most of these have been in operation throughout Red Panda existence, their effects are increasingly severe as an ever-larger proportion of the distribution is outside contiguous habitat blocks large enough for recolonisation to occur post-disaster.

In some areas, habitat is lost and degraded by commercial logging. In the Emaw Bum region of Myanmar more than 5,000 km² have been logged since 1999–2000, resulting in many new roads into mountain areas, e.g. between the May Hka river and the China border. These logging roads not only destroy habitat directly, they also facilitate access for hunters and can destabilise the substrate. A recent video report from FFI shows two young Red Pandas crossing a landslide, the result of foreign road-building in the area.

As human populations grow, more people move into mountain regions to live. They clear land for habitation, bring domestic herds to roam in the forests where they trample and eat bamboo. Herders collect bamboo for fodder and other necessities. The herds are protected by dogs that attack pandas and, if not vaccinated, potentially carry canine distemper, fatal to Red Panda. The lack of annual vaccination in India, at least, leads to a high incidence of canine distemper in dogs of one to five years of age (Latha et al. 2007). Spillover of canine distemper into wild species is already well documented, such as to Indian Fox Vulpes bengalensis (Vanak et al. 2007) and Tiger Panthera tigris (e.g. Goodrich et al. 2012).

Himalayan bamboos, the Red Panda’s dietary staple, are sensitive to environmental degradation, deforestation, fire and overgrazing (Stapleton 1996). Reduced canopy cover increases wind and water stress for the bamboo. In these situations, seedlings are destroyed by the harsh conditions coupled with grazing pressure.

Reports of Red Panda poaching and smuggling seem to be increasing, perhaps through demand in China. F. Momberg (pers. comm. 2010) saw Red Panda carcases and skins in villagers' homes in eastern Myanmar. One hunter allowed him to accompany him while he caught a Red Panda with his hands; apparently these villagers regularly take Red Pandas. Wildlife trade is rampant in Myanmar (about 30 tons of wildlife products per month), facilitated by wildlife habitat proximity to the Chinese border. Before Red Panda was upgraded to Appendix I of CITES in the early 1990s, individuals captured in Myanmar were traded by China to zoos around the world. 

Ang Phuri Sherpa (pers. comm. 2015)  reported an increase in illegal trade over the preceding three years, based on the number of poachers and traders caught in Nepal. These incidents mostly involved skins and the items were headed for China. One incident involved a live Red Panda. A general increase in interest in Red Panda skins and meat in China could fuel more trade. A US businessman reported Red Pandas on offer in a restaurant. In the 'Threats' discussions during the 2012 Red Panda PHVA in China, many Chinese participants indicated that Red Panda meat was fairly widely available in restaurants, although no details are available.  

The live Red Panda trade, for pets, also seems to be increasing. Ian Lee (Chinese representative for Red Panda Network, pers. comm. 2015) found several reports in Chinese newspapers and social media of Red Pandas for sale as pets. This corroborates indications that Red Panda is increasing in popularity as a pet in China and other Asian countries, notably Thailand (YouTube videos and Instagram photos).

Ngwe Lwin (pers. comm. 2014) considers hunting and poaching the major threat to the Red Panda in Myanmar, in two ways: in one area, Red Panda is not a target species but is caught in iron traps, and some of skins are traded; in another, live Red Pandas are traded to China, motivating local people to go to catch them whenever they have time.

The Red Panda is included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I (www.cites.org). It is listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, the highest protection possible for a species in India (Choudhury 2001). It is also legally protected in Bhutan, China (where it is classed as a Category II species under the Wild Animal Protection Law; Wei et al. 1999a), Nepal (Glatston 1994) and Myanmar (by the Wildlife Act of 1994). In China, the species is Red Listed nationally as 'Vulnerable' under A2ace. In the most recent Red List for Nepal (Jnawali et al. 2012), Red Panda is considered to be 'Endangered' under C2a(i), 

In Myanmar it is found in at least three protected areas: Hkakaborazi National Park, Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary and Emaw Bum proposed National Park. It is difficult to determine how much of the Red Panda’s range in the country these protected areas cover. Hunting and, in Emaw Bum, logging are widespread within their confines.

In Bhutan it is found in the following protected areas: Jigme Dorji, Thrumshingla and Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Parks, Bumdeling and Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuaries, Toorsa Strict Nature Reserve, biological corridors connecting these reserves, and the biological corridor connecting Thrumshingla and Royal Manas National Parks. It has also been recorded in the Royal Botanical Park, Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary and Wangchuck Centennial Park (Dorji et al. 2012). Potential Red Panda habitat in the country modelled using MAXENT and ArcGIS 9.3 revealed 46% of predicted Red Panda habitat is under protected areas (PAs), 16% is in biological corridors and 38% lies outside the PA system. However, even protected areas are subject to activities such as road construction, livestock grazing, subsistence agriculture (slash-and-burn in some areas), collection of forest resources such as timber and NTFPs, and domestic dog presence.

In India it is found in 19 protected or otherwise managed areas: Lachung Reserve Forest, Kanchendzonga National Park (NP), Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary, the buffer and transition area of the latter two, Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS), Pangolakha WLS, Kyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary, Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, Singalila NP, Neora Valley NP, Kamlang WLS, Eaglesnest WLS, Zemithang Valley Community Forest, Nuranang Valley Community Forest, Mehao WLS, Mandla-Phudung CF, Anjaw Reserve forest, Mechuka-West Siang CF, Mouling NP and Dibang WLS. It might also inhabit Taley Valley WLS, Pakhui WLS and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary. These protected areas cover about one-third of the species’s total potential habitat in India (Choudhury 2001). In the 2013 Population and Habitat Viability Analysis (PHVA) workshop, 22 protected areas (outside Meghalaya) were identified as having potential habitat for Red Panda, some with only very small areas. Furthermore, the workshop participants identified medium to high levels of threat in these areas from two or more of development activities; fire; herders; firewood and non-timber forest product collection; illegal trade/'accidental' hunting; dogs (very prevalent); refuse; and habitat reduction. In Arunachal Pradesh (the state believed to have the largest Red Panda population in India) around 60% of the forest is under community ownership rather than having PA status. Also in Sikkim, 60% of potential Red Panda habitat falls outside the PA system. Enforcement of protective legislation, especially outside protected areas, is almost non-existent (Choudhury 2001).

China has 46 protected areas containing Red Panda (Wei et al. 2011), covering about 65% of the species’s habitat in China. Poor law enforcement in PAs was listed as a problem during the 2012 PHVA workshop (Wei et al. 2014). Livestock grazing and collection of non-timber forest products occur widely in these areas.

Red Panda has been confirmed in nine of Nepal’s PAs: Sagarmatha NP; Makalu Barun NP; Langtang NP; Rara NP; Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (CA); Annapurna CA; Gaurishankar CA; Manaslu Conservation Area; and Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. In all these PAs, habitat loss and degradation, poaching and dog problems and developmental activities have been rated as moderate to severe by participants in the Red Panda PHVA workshop (Jnawali et al. 2012).

Currently there is a Global Species Management Plan (GSMP) for Red Pandas held in zoos around the world. This plan is closely allied to current field conservation efforts. The three PHVAs were largely the initiative of, and funded by, the zoo community. The aims of the GSMP are to contribute both directly and indirectly to Red Panda conservation by: providing a genetically and demographically sustainable and behaviourally competent back-up population for the wild population; holding the potential to supply individuals for genetic or demographic supplementation or reintroduction programmes; educating and the raising of public awareness of Red Panda, its uniqueness and conservation needs; and providing financial, technical, scientific and other support and expertise to the planning and implementation of in situ conservation and research  


Priority conservation actions fall into four main categories:

1. To protect against habitat loss: improve and manage Red Panda habitats (including within corridors); improve connectivity, including across international borders; balance developmental activities by promoting eco-friendly and sustainable development with minimal impact on Red Panda habitat; increase areas under protection; implement better Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) for all development programmes; engage political willingness and win support; 
develop and implement landscape-level conservation policy, identifying unprotected Red Panda habitat and
 making legal provision for the declaration of Red Panda Community Conservation Areas.

2. To reduce habitat degradation: restore degraded habitats, plant bamboo; regulate tourism by the use of entry permits; zone PAs to define restricted-access zones in core areas for Red Pandas, facility 
zones, and resource use zones, with restricted visitor access during the breeding season (set quotas for non-timber forest products); educate, sensitise, and promote community participation to reduce and mitigate threats to Red Panda and its habitat; promote the use of alternative energy and building materials; provide sustainable livelihoods; enhance range-land management, using native species; reduce livestock numbers, especially of 
unproductive breeds; develop an integrated agriculture, pasture and 
agroforestry system; develop proper rubbish disposal systems; improve community stewardship in natural 
resources management; improve fire-fighting, in part by training communities, developing a national fire fighting strategy, ensuring PA management plans include comprehensive coverage of forest fire (the implementation of a fire strategy including forest fire alert and monitoring system, forest fire mapping and zoning, provision of fire fighting equipment, and controlled burning to prevent fires).

3. To reduce deaths of Red Pandas: strengthen law enforcement and improve physical protection; enhance transboundary cooperation on both of the former; strengthen coordination/collaboration between 
line agencies and other stakeholders; implement a reward and punishment system both for 
communities and forest department; establish anti-poaching units (in community forests and PAs) with capacity building for front-line, anti-poaching staff; train customs officials; reintroduce captive-bred individuals to reinforce local populations; formulate a dog management plan to control, sterilise and vaccinate dogs; engage army personnel in border bases to keep their dogs in check and not let them roam free in Red Panda areas.

4. To improve awareness: design and implement a dedicated awareness programme using radio, pamphlets, posters, and documentary film; secure adequate funding; improve conservation education (with a focus on Red Pandas) in schools; establish/strengthen Green Force Clubs; implement a Red Panda research programme, identifying priority research topics, and including regular monitoring of its habitat; develop a trans-national ‘Project Red Panda’.