Red Pandas are, in the opinion of many, the world’s cutest species. For thousands of years they have inhabited the mountains of Nepal, India, central China, and northern Myanmar in rainy, high altitude temperate and tropical forests. In the past few years, however, the bamboo-obsessed Red Panda population has been dwindling dangerously low. As it stands, the creature is headed quickly toward extinction.
Some threats to the fluffy, cat-like wild animal are due to natural occurrences in the food chain. Others are a direct result of human activity. Using Robin from “Robin the Red Panda” as our guide, let’s go through the major threats to Red Pandas and how each can be addressed.
#1: Habitat Destruction
Mother showed the girls the border of the forest, across from which there were human inhabitants. They couldn’t cross over, Mother explained, without putting their lives in danger.
Red Pandas, with their large round heads, 10-to-20-pound bodies, and reddish-brown coats, enjoy the forests of Nepal, China, India, and Myanmar. They have large bushy tails with alternating red and white rings that help them maintain balance while they climb high trees to escape predators. During the cold winters, the Red Panda will wrap the tail around itself to keep warm. All these traits make them perfectly suited for their habitat. If that habitat ceases to exist, however, the Red Panda will find themselves unable to survive anywhere else.
As the human population around the Red Panda’s home grows, the Red Panda population shrinks. This is because human inhabitants with their homes, resource consumption, and communities, lead to deforestation, eliminating bamboo that the Red Panda eats every day (in fact, the average female Red Panda consumes 20,000 bamboo leaves daily). In addition to a food shortage for the Red Panda, deforestation leads to limited space to escape from predators and fewer places for expecting mothers to safely nest.
What can you do? If you live in the area, actively restoring the habitat is critical. Work with government officials in your area to rebuild this beautiful home. If you’re many miles away from the closest wild Red Panda, you can sponsor a forest guardian. Forest guardians are locals who monitor and protect the red panda habitat, as well as educate their local communities. Visit RedPandaNetwork.org for more information on next steps!
(Source: LiveScience, RPN)
#2: Human Consumption
Robin understood that there were more threats on the ground than in the trees; more predators, more disasters waiting to happen—but she still enjoyed this moment, drinking water with her mother and sister.
The clouded leopard loves eating Red Pandas. The predator will isolate the prey, wait for a moment to strike, and then claim its prize. The Red Panda does not have many defense mechanisms; it will stand on its hind legs, secrete an odor from its paws, and hiss. Most of the time, the Red Panda will lose their fight.
There is another predator that enjoys a refreshing Red Panda meal: humans. Many Red Pandas are not frightened by humans and have an agreeable nature, much like domesticated cats. For years humans have used this against the animal and captured them for the bushmeat and fur trade.
Most of this trade is illegal so, aside from just not participating in this criminal activity, there are many ways to protect the docile Red Panda. Practicing ecotourism by being an advocate for the environment while on vacation is a positive way to be productive in protecting the endangered species while enjoying yourself. Avoiding buying products made from animals is also critical in supporting the abolition of the illegal wildlife trade. This can be done anywhere with minimal research on the product you are using!
(Source: The Smithsonian)
#3: Pet Trade Poaching
Robin saw something she had never seen before: humans. There were two people with lots of contraptions around them. They were reaching up to a tree, right where Mother had been eating bamboo, making poking motions.
There are still other human predators to Red Pandas who do not want to hunt, eat, or inhabit the Red Panda habitat. They crave the opportunity to pet the Red Panda’s soft fur and enjoy its company in the comfort of their own home. Unfortunately, keeping the Red Panda as a pet is not just illegal but dangerous. Red Pandas require a specific set of circ*mstances to survive and, even when all these needs are met, over 80% of them die before they make it to a year old. Red Pandas need proximity to water, forest cover, altitude, and sufficient bamboo. Furthermore, they need the ability to reproduce other Red Pandas. The only enclosed structure that meets all these needs is a physically large, well-funded zoo. Not your home.
Being an advocate for the Red Panda is an effective way to support the end of the Red Panda Pet Trade. There may be as few as 2,500 Red Pandas left in the wild—we can’t take any chances by bringing one into our home. Teach others about the unique traits of Red Pandas and how important they are to a diverse ecosystem.
(Source: Cherub of the Mist (film), The Smithsonian)
Red Pandas are fluffy, adorable, and relatively harmless to humans. Sadly, we have proven to be harmful to them. Protecting the red-furred animal helps preserve an ecosystem that is home to hundreds of other creatures that, without human intervention, are at risk of losing their homes. Let’s work together to save the Red Panda.
