What Is a Red Panda’s Habitat?
Red pandas, the russet-furred forest dwellers, spend a significant amount of time in the trees. Unfortunately, they are losing important nesting trees and diet staples like bamboo, which is causing a population decline. Continue reading to learn more about these creatures and what the WWF is doing to help them.
Where Do Red Pandas Live?
Red pandas can be found in the Eastern Himalayas in China, Nepal, and Bhutan. They spend the majority of their time in the trees. Their semi-retractable claws allow them to move from branch to branch with ease.
Red pandas prefer high altitudes and are commonly found in the Himalayan mountain range. The red panda prefers to live at elevations ranging from 7,200 to 15,700 feet above sea level. They are also extremely sensitive to temperature changes and require a consistent and moderate level of warmth to survive. Red pandas prefer dense, temperate forests that are densely forested with a thick layer of bamboo. This provides them with enough food as well as enough trees to climb in order to forage and avoid predators like snow leopards.
Many Asian countries, including China, Myanmar, Nepal, India, and Tibet, have red pandas. However, due to their unique requirements, they can only be found in specific regions of these countries.
Why Red Pandas Matters
The Eastern Himalayas make up almost half of the red panda’s natural habitat. Red panda populations are declining across much of their range as a result of the destruction of their forest habitat, which includes nesting trees and bamboo.
What Dangers Do Red Pandas Face?
The habitat of red pandas is dwindling. The loss of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern Himalayas, which contains about half of the red panda’s habitat, is causing red panda numbers to drop across much of their territory. WWF collaborates with local communities to reduce the human influence on the habitat of the species.
Red pandas are frequently killed when they become entangled in traps designed for other animals such as wild pigs and deer. In China and Myanmar, they are also poached for their distinctive pelts. In Bhutan, red panda fur caps or hats have been discovered for sale.
What Is WWF Doing About It
Nepal makes up about 38% of the potential red panda habitat. To lessen human interference with the red panda’s delicate habitat, we collaborate with yak herders and other neighborhood organizations. Red panda killing, purchasing, or selling carries a maximum $1,000 fine and/or a maximum 10-year prison sentence. Other local efforts to halt the killing and capturing of red pandas for profit include:
- Making briquettes from yak dung. These offer an alternate means of making money and can be used as fuel rather than destroying red panda habitat for wood.
- Making travel bundles. Bringing in tourists offers an alternate way to make money.
See Also; Can Red Pandas Eat Grapes?
Observing The Red Pandas
To better understand the species, WWF monitors red pandas and their habitat in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. In 2011, our research assisted the government of the Indian state of Sikkim in declaring that the state was home to an estimated 300 red pandas. WWF is also investigating the viability of returning red pandas to Sikkim in order to establish populations.
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