DICE research examines conservation risk to the Himalayan red panda

Himalayan red panda in the wild
  "Himalayan red panda" by Flickr/Pexels.

New research from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) has found that the endangered Himalayan red panda in Bhutan, South Asia, is at high risk due to plant disturbance and infrastructure.

The research, published in Ecology and Evolution, suggests that the conservation of the red panda in the Jigme Dorji National Park is threatened by the construction of power transmission lines across prime red panda habitat, including the encroachment on water sources and fir forests.

With red panda habitat use significantly influenced by both landscape level habitat (fir forest), microhabitat (water source) and disturbance (plant disturbances and infrastructure), the study stresses that conservationists must prioritise habitat-management interventions to protect red panda in the region.

The research was conducted by DICE MSc scholar Pema Dendup and Senior Lecturer in Conservation and Primate Behaviour, Dr Tatyana Humle, among others.

Pema Dendup said, “Few studies have focused on the Himalayan red panda in Bhutan, so this was a vital research area that needed further attention. Infrastructure development has long been recognised as a major factor responsible for habitat loss and fragmentation as well as negatively affecting wildlife populations. While the building of infrastructure is inevitable, more consideration needs to be taken to avoid disturbing wildlife areas.”

Dr Humle added, “In order to promote the conservation of the red panda in Jigme Dorji National Park, we recommend that the development and implementation of local forest management plans and a strict application of environmental impact assessment regulations are all considered.”

Habitat requirements of the Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and threat analysis in Jigme Dorji National Park, Bhutan by Pema Dendup, Tatyana Humle, Damber Bista, Ugyen Penjor, Choki Lham and Jigme Gyeltshen is published in Ecology and Evolution. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6632.)

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