By Narayan Tumbampo
Phidim, Mar. 29: The natural habitat of the endangered red pandas of eastern Nepal in Panchthar and Ilam is at risk of getting fragmented. With road construction in full swing at the upper hills of the area, their habitat might be partially or completely destroyed.
The road construction project has been segregating the jungles in fragments. With tar and concrete encroaching upon forests, the already endangered animal has become even more vulnerable.
The case is particularly alarming at Lungrupa of Phidim Municipality in Panchthar and at Ilam’s Maijogmai, Suryodaya and Sandakpur Rural Municipality where road construction is moving at a breakneck speed. The infrastructure project has displaced the red panda population within the surrounding area thereby destroying its food, and complicating the animal’s movement and migration. “Lately, human aggression has been on the rise in the name of development,” said Jeevan Rai, a Red Panda conservationist in Panchthar.
Considered a rare animal throughout the world, several initiatives have been taken to preserve red pandas. In Nepal as well, various campaigns have been undertaken to protect the endangered animal, especially by non-governmental organisations. One of them is the PIT Corridor in Panchthar, Ilam and Taplejung established to set up a red panda network. The
The Red Panda Conservation Network has been working in the PIT area since 2007. The corridor covers Phidim Municipality of Panchthar, Phalelung, Yangwarak and Ilam Muniicpality, Sandakpur and Suryodaya Municipality of Ilam. Similarly, Sidingwa, Pathibhara, Faktanglung, Mikwakhola, of Taplejung are included. The network to save pandas is being set up in the PIT corridor with the help of local organization Deepajyoti Youth Club of Panchthar, High Hill Association of Ilam and Himali Conservation of Taplejung. According to the project coordinator Bankchu Bhutia, poaching of red pandas has decreased by 90 per cent following continuous conservation along the PIT network.
However, with unchecked road expansion, the conservation attempt has also been hampered. “We have tried to draw the attention of Division Forest office but to no avail,” said Sunil Bantawa Rai, Executive Director of Deepjyoti.