The Status of the Red Panda in Jamuna and Mabu Villages of Eastern Nepal
Date
2004
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of the Department of Environmental Studies
Abstract
The status of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) is examined in the cultural
context of Jamuna and Mabu Village Development Committees (VDCs) of the Ilam
District in eastern Nepal. Intensive, market-driven land-use threatens red panda habitat
and the largest unprotected oak stands in eastern Nepal. This study investigates red
panda ecology and Jamuna and Mabu human ecology. Results indicate that red panda
density in the study area average 1 red panda/1.38km
2
, and they prefer undisturbed
Eastern Himalayan mixed broadleaf forest between 2800m – 3000m. Predation is the
greatest threat to the population. In the last year alone, local dogs killed two red panda.
Results also indicate that Jamuna and Mabu land use decisions are market-driven with
grazing and bamboo harvesting being the most detrimental to red panda habitat. This
thesis concludes that, in Jamuna and Mabu, the red panda is critically endangered
because of intense, market-driven use of its habitat and local dog predation.
Description
Keywords
Red Panda, bamboo harvesting