RED PANDA - ENVIRONMENT
News: Endangered Red Panda Spotted
In Arunachal’s Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary
What's in the news?
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Red panda was recently captured on camera in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (EWS)
located in the Singchung subdivision of the West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh.
Red Panda:
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It is primarily an herbivore species.
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They use their long, bushy tails for balance and to
cover themselves in winter, presumably for warmth.
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It is a shy,
solitary and arboreal animal and considered an indicator species for
ecological change.
Appearance:
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It is the size of a house cat, the red panda is
famous for its cute face and adorable defense stance.
Distribution:
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It lives in the mountainous forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
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Almost 50% of their habitat is in the Eastern Himalayas.
Threats:
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Red panda habitat is in decline.
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The loss of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern
Himalayas - the location of almost 50% of the red panda’s habitat is causing a decline
in red panda populations across much of their range.
Conservation Status:
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IUCN Red list - Endangered
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CITES - Appendix
I
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Wildlife Protection Act 1972 - Schedule I
Go back to basics:
Eaglenest Wildlife
Sanctuary:
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It is a protected area of India in the Himalayan
foothills of West Kameng District, Arunachal Pradesh.
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It conjoins
Sessa Orchid Sanctuary to the northeast and Pakhui Tiger Reserve across the
Kameng river to the east.
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It is situated in the biodiversity hotspot of
Eastern Himalayas and home to over 500 bird species.
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Altitude ranges are extreme - from 500 metres
(1,640 ft) to 3,250 metres (10,663 ft).
● It is also a part of the Kameng Elephant Reserve.