Red Panda - an overview (2024)

Abstract

Red panda Ailurus fulgens is a threatened mammalian species endemic to the eastern Himalayas. In Bhutan, the red panda is distributed across the country’s temperate forests, covering 19 of the 20 districts within an elevation range of 1500–4300m, with potential habitat of 10,971.2km², which is 28.57% of the total country area. The country’s Forests and Nature Conservation Act 1995 strictly protects the species by listing the red panda under Schedule I and cultural values build reverence and protection to the species by local communities. Yet, conservation actions and research are limited and anthropogenic threats are on the rise which makes the red panda vulnerable in its natural habitat. Mitigating the threats, enhancing awareness education and building scientific knowledge on the red panda through research will help strengthen the conservation of the red panda in Bhutan.

Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the history of captive red panda diet development by discussing the anatomy and basal metabolic rate (BMR) of red pandas, feeding ecology, nutritional recommendations for red pandas, and the effect of the diet on nutrition-related problems and faecal quality. Additionally, a section is devoted to hand-rearing red pandas.

Introduction

This chapter provides an overview of the history of captive red panda diet development by discussing the anatomy and basal metabolic rate of red pandas, feeding ecology, nutritional recommendations for red pandas, and the effect of the diet on nutrition-related problems and faecal quality. Additionally, a section is devoted to hand-rearing red pandas.

Abstract

Red pandas were poorly studied in India and the existing pool of knowledge was decades-old up until recent genetic studies. An in-depth analysis of the transboundary Kanchenjunga landscape described the genetic units of red pandas and their connectivity. New researches have shown the presence of both the (sub)species of red panda in Arunachal Pradesh, India. These findings raised questions on previous management techniques. It also hinted at the need for an improved landscape level-(sub)species-oriented conservation method without which the enigma of red panda speciation remains. These studies also help to critically evaluate the status of red pandas with respect to local communities where conservation basics are crucial for saving the species.

Protection

Red pandas are offered varying degrees of legal protection throughout their range. They are considered endangered and are fully legally protected in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. However, the law does not necessarily guarantee them complete safety from hunters and poachers, as protection depends on how well these laws are implemented. Many people living in red panda areas are unaware of both the species and of the laws that should protect them. In China, red pandas considered vulnerable rather than endangered and are listed as Category II species under the Wildlife Protection Law. This means that, if someone wants to capture a wild red panda, they need a permit which is issued by the regional authorities rather than the national government which is the case with Category I species. In the past, this has meant that Chinese zoos have had access to a ready supply of red pandas for their collections. However, now that zoos in China are becoming better at breeding and rearing red pandas this source of red pandas may no longer be needed.

There are a number of protected areas across the red panda’s range. In Nepal red pandas occur in nine protected areas. However, despite their protected status, these areas are still subject to deforestation, poaching and incursions by dogs. Furthermore, much of the red pandas’ habitat lies outside of these areas in the community forests. In Bhutan about 46% of red panda habitat lies within six national parks and a further 16% lies in nature corridors. Again, these protected areas are not completely safe as herding and road building can occur in them. Red pandas occur in two protected areas in West Bengal and seven in Sikkim. However, in Sikkim 60% of red panda habitat lies outside of these protected areas. In Arunachal Pradesh red pandas are known to occur in 10 protected areas and there are a further three protected areas which may also hold them. Many of the national parks with red pandas lie in the east of the state. However, despite the protected status, threats still occur within their boundaries due to development activities, illegal trade or ‘accidental’ hunting, dogs (which are very prevalent), refuse dumping, and so on. In Myanmar 60% of red pandas live in community forests. There are three protected areas in the red pandas’ range but even here protection is not complete. Finally, China has 46 protected areas that are home to red pandas, these cover 65% of their range but, in some cases, the protected area status is poorly enforced, grazing of domestic animals and the collection of nontimber forest products is tolerated. However, this is not the case in those protected areas that they share with the giant panda. Furthermore, a new Giant Panda National Park is planned in Sichuan and this park should open in 2022/2023. It will cover a huge area and red pandas as well as many other species will benefit from the protection offered to giant pandas within this park. Most of these Chinese protected areas, including the planned National Park, are home to Styan’s panda, there is no indication of which protected areas are available to the Himalayan panda in southern Tibet.

Red panda conservation activities have been growing and developing in Nepal for the last decade. As a result, a National Red Panda Action Plan has been published. A similar Action Plan has recently been developed in Bhutan. Slowly surveys, research and conservation action plans for red pandas are being developed across their range.

West Bengal

Introduction

Red pandas (Ailurus fulgens fulgens and Ailurus fulgens styani) display a fascinating medley of reproductive phenomena; however, many of the intricacies surrounding their reproductive processes are not yet well understood. They are seasonal breeders, suspected to be induced ovulators, likely experience embryonic diapause, and they seem to exhibit pseudopregnancies, in which nonpregnant females hormonally and behaviourally appear pregnant. Furthermore, with the exception of ultrasonography, there is no pregnancy test for this species, which makes understanding reproductive success (and factors contributing to pregnancy loss) challenging. Ailuridae share this suite of reproductive processes and challenges with many members of the Mustelidae, Ursidae and Pinniped families; therefore, red panda reproductive biology most closely resembles species like mink, bears and seals. Due to the inherent challenges associated with studying wild populations, much of what is known about reproduction in red pandas originates from studies of individuals living in zoos under human management. In the following sections, we review our understanding of red panda reproductive biology and highlight gaps in the literature where more research is needed.

Rabies virus

Red pandas are susceptible to rabies, but infections in captive animals are rare. Preventing infections is accomplished by biosecurity (preventing contact with reservoir species) and vaccination. Captive red pandas have been safely vaccinated with Imrab (Merial, Inc.) or Rabisin™ (Merial, Inc.), commercially available, killed virus vaccine, and inactivated and adjuvanted rabies glycoproteins, respectively. The former vaccine is approved for use in several species, including ferrets. Red panda vaccination regimens mimic those recommended for domestic species. The first vaccination was at 16 weeks and annual booster, thereafter. Depending on the location and incidence of rabies in the region, rabies vaccination could be considered a core vaccination for red pandas [8].

Dog Management

Red panda mortality due to dog predation is common in red panda range [3,7,10] Free-roaming dogs, which include feral and trained herder dogs, attack and kill red pandas (and other sympatric species) [11] as well as transmit zoonotic diseases: rabies, canine distemper [12] and gastrointestinal parasites [13,14].

RPN is working with local agencies and community organizations in Nepal to implement neutering and rabies vaccination programmes to alleviate the threat of free-roaming dogs. During the last 3 years, 1,000 dogs were vaccinated with antirabies vaccines, and 200 dogs were neutered. There are more than 100 hotels and tea houses along the Sandakphu and Pathibhara roads in the PIT corridor in eastern Nepal. Most of these hotels and teahouses lack garbage management practices and unmanaged garbage disposal sites attract feral dogs. RPN is working with these establishments to improve their sanitation and garbage management.

Background and Introduction

Red pandas (Ailurus fulgens, A. styani) have long appealed to people owing to their very attractive fur colouration. This, together with low or undetermined population figures of the species in the wild was certainly the reason of the species receiving full protection in all range countries. Traditional uses of Red Panda fur and demand by zoos were the key drivers of why the species became listed at the inception of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1975. First listed in the Convention’s Appendix II, which allows commercial trade under a strict control regime, the species was uplisted as Ailurus fulgens to Appendix I in 1994, after a proposal submitted by the Netherlands [1] – explicitly including both the then accepted subspecies Ailurus fulgens and A. f. styani – was agreed by the Parties to CITES. The uplisting in 1994 came into force on 16 February 1995, and since then all commercial trade in the species and its parts has been strictly prohibited. Exemptions for trade prohibition are only granted for noncommercial purposes, for example, such as exchanges of living specimens for conservation breeding and bona fide exchange of zoo specimens. However, the import of Appendix I listed species is not allowed if the import is for commercial purposes. Since the listing of red panda in CITES Appendix I, only very few incidental and anecdotal records of trade and seizures in live red pandas or their parts have been officially recorded in the CITES trade database (as reported by the Parties to CITES), with almost all entries for the species referring to trade in captive live red pandas between zoos.