MYAGDI: A study has begun in Myagdi to assess the health condition of the endangered red panda through stool sample testing in the Jaljala and Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve areas of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality.
With support from donor agency Toledo, the Biodiversity Conservation Society Nepal has initiated the study in Jaljala, Muna, Mareni, and areas within the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, where red pandas are known to inhabit.
Program Officer Pawan Rai said a technical team has been deployed to analyze red panda stool samples to better understand the species’ health condition and support conservation efforts.
“A study is being conducted to identify the presence of parasites in the stomach and intestines of red pandas in this area,” he said. “At the same time, research is underway to estimate the population of red pandas based on footage captured by 12 camera traps installed in locations where the animals have been spotted.”
The government has listed the Red Panda as an endangered wildlife species. The species is generally found at elevations between 2,200 and 4,500 meters above sea level.
According to Rai, earlier monitoring through three camera traps near water sources had already recorded red panda activity in two locations. Based on initial estimates, between six and 25 red pandas may inhabit the area.
Local residents had previously shared photos and videos of red panda sightings in the Gurjaghat area of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, and in the Bancharedanda area of the Dahapatal Community Forest in Muna.
Earlier, in 2073 BS, research conducted with support from the World Wildlife Fund, along with the Red Panda Network and the Himalayan Conservation Forum, had found red panda feces in the Mareni wetland area.
Red pandas typically sleep in tree hollows at night and rest on branches during the day. Their diet mainly includes bamboo shoots and other forest vegetation found in the Gurja, Lulang, and Muna forests.
The species is protected under Nepal’s National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029. Under existing law, individuals involved in poaching red pandas can face imprisonment ranging from one to 10 years, fines of Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000, or both.
Recent studies estimate Nepal’s red panda population to be between 500 and 1,000. Globally, red pandas are found only in Nepal, China, India, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
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