By Prem Adhikari
Ilam, Feb. 21: The world's rarest Red Panda, found in hilly districts including Ilam, is in crisis due to the uncontrolled construction of infrastructure and other development works. 
Rare Red Pandas found in hilly districts including Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung are in crisis due to lack of grazing area because of the increasing development work at the local level.

Red Pandas, very shy creatures which prefer to stay away from human activities, have been found to be in danger due to deforestation, drying up of water sources, smuggling and wildlife attacks.
Sleeping on a tree branch, the animal likes to live in a secluded forest. The main food of the Red Panda are leaves and bamboo, insects, bird eggs and small lizards. The Red Panda is known locally as Habre Rato Panda, Hop, Hoprokpa, Hopdogaa, Nigale and Ponyo. 

The world's rarest Red Panda is found in Sandakpur Rural Municipality of Ilam, Maijogmai Rural Municipality and Lekali forest of Suryodaya Municipality. 
According to local Jeet Bahadur Khadka, Red Panda is also found in Lise, Charibhange and Chuli areas of Kalikhop Dadeli Community Forest of Maijogmai Rural Municipality Ward No. 2.

Studies have shown that there are around 5 to 6 Red Pandas in the Chipchipe community forest of the same village, Mahadev Kage community forest, Choyatar community forest of Sandakpur village, Thumke area of ​​Suryodaya Municipality, Hile community forest of Ilam Municipality Ward No. 3.
However, in recent times the habitat of Red Panda is being destroyed due to various human and natural causes. 

Dhan Bahadur Khamdak, a programme coordinator of High Mountain Herb Grower and Conservation Organization, Ilam, said that the existence of Red Pandas is in danger due to unscientific development, unorganized grazing, collection of herbs, trapping activities, attack by domestic dogs, fire in their habitat and increasing human encroachment.

According to Khamdak, the Red Panda is facing more crisis after the local municipality started carrying out development works without conducting a scientific study of the Red Panda's habitat.
Conservationists said the Red Panda is in crisis because of wildlife. It has been found that wild animals like tigers and bears also hunt Red Pandas.

Ilam Municipality, Ward No. 3 chairman Tirtha Gurung said that the people of the area were aware of the importance of the Red Panda. He informed that the work of controlling the stray dogs has been taken forward as the Red Panda is easily hunted by domestic dogs.

Uday Bahadur Rai, chairman of Sandakpur Rural Municipality informed that the municipality is working to plant Red Panda's food like Nigalo (Himalayacalamus asper), Malingo and Bhalu Chinde species.
The Sandakpur Rural Municipality has also built a Red Panda breeding centre to protect the animal. The Red Panda Nepal Network has also installed tapping cameras in community forests to prevent the smuggling of Red Pandas in hilly districts including Ilam. 

There are 18 forest guards in the 32 community forests of Ilam to monitor the animal. Red Panda is found in only five countries in the world, including Nepal, India, China, Bhutan and Myanmar.
It is estimated that there are between 10,000 and 20,000 red pandas in the 70,000 square kilometres of natural habitat in these five countries. 
According to the genetic study done by Red Panda Nepal Network, there are only about 500 red pandas in Nepal. It is estimated that there are 24 to 40 pairs of red pandas in different community forests of Ilam, Khamdak said.

Studies have shown that Red Pandas are currently found in 24 districts of Nepal.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has listed the Red Panda as an endangered species. 

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has placed the animal on Schedule 1 and prohibited its illegal movement.
Eastern Nepal's Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Sankhuwasabha as well as Nepal's nine protected areas Rara National Park, Langtang National Park, Sagarmatha National Park, Makalu-Barun National Park, Annapurna Conservation Area, Gaurishankar Conservation Area, Manaslu Conservation Area, Kanjanjungha Conservation Area and Dhorpatan Reservation and Research are the habitat of Red Panda in Nepal.

Red Pandas are found at an altitude of 1,800 meters to 200 meters in the hilly region. Researchers from around the world have been living in the community forest of Ilam for months to conduct on the Red Panda.