Sept-Dec 2007 August 2007 March-July 2007 Jan-Feb 2007 December 2006 November 2006 Sept-Oct 2006 August 2006Mission
The Red Panda Project is committed to protecting the red panda and preserving its habitat through the empowerment of local communities by adaptive community-based research, education, and sustainable development.
Vision
The Red Panda Project ensures the survival of the red panda and its habitat for future generations to study, experience and enjoy.
The Need
The red panda and its habitat are endangered due to conversion of forest to farms and pastures by overgrazing. The Red Panda Project creates innovative alternatives that increase the probability of survival of the red panda.
News Archive: August 2006
August 25, 2006
RPP's work has helped increase the Red Panda population in Eastern Nepal!
(From The Rising Nepal, August 6, 2006) The number of red panda, one of the animals enlisted in the endangered list, has been rising for the past two years in the northern part of Ilam and Taplejung in east Nepal. 
This might be because those who were involved in poaching of the animal in Hangetham, Choyatar, Kaiyakatta, Kalapokhari and Lal Bas areas of Ilam district, are now active in conserving the red panda and other rare wild animals like snow leopard and black bear.
Locals of Ilam and Panchthar were provided conservation training by TMI, an organization working in conservation, two years ago. Yuvaraj P.C., an official at the organisation, said that the locals were trained to conserve the natural habitats of red panda.
Earlier, the locals used to catch and sell the rare pandas in the Indian market. They would get Rs. 10,000 for a live panda and could get Rs. 5,000 for its raw skin. Shiva Kumar Tamang, a local in Choyatar of Jamuna, said that there are about a dozen pandas in the area. The numbers increased after the local poachers realised that it was illegal to poach the endangered animal.
Brian Williams, a researcher of California State University who had spent seven months in Ilam three years ago, had found three dead and four live red pandas in the area.
Red Panda is a small and shy animal. It prefers secluded forest area as its habitat and likes to eat bamboo shoots and wild fruits.
[ reply to this post ]
August 3, 2006
In search of the Red Panda
Join RPP as we search the Himalayan cloud forest for the elusive Red Panda, taste the highest grown organic tea in the world and explore the cultural heart of South Asia. December 22–January 8. $2,995 tax deductible donation. [ reply to this post ]
Check out
our newsletter!
