From local villagers of red panda range countries who use red panda habitat for their survival to the general public in developing countries, few people are aware of the plight of the red panda.

The Red Panda Network’s first goal is to raise the level of awareness in local villages surrounding red panda habitat, and our second goal is to raise awareness in the general public worldwide. Communities surrounding red panda habitat are usually marginalized and have inadequate elementary education. The Red Panda Network will complement this education through its “forest guardian” program. We conduct “forest guardian” workshops that provide educational training about the importance of red panda and the fragility of the Eastern Himalayan ecosystem. At a “forest guardian” workshop teachers will be trained and given educational materials to conduct “forest guardian” trainings at their local schools. In 2006, our objective was to conduct 5 “forest guardian” trainings in Nepal. In 2007-2008, The Red Panda Network conducted another 5 trainings in Nepal. In 2009-2011 we continued to train existing and new forest guardians. In 2012-2013, we plan to establish programs in India.

In addition to the “forest guardian” program, we raise awareness in the general public worldwide. For example, in 2005, we assisted in the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in the creation of the red panda content for their South Asia Trail exhibit (opened spring 2006), created and published the RPN website and attended 5 conferences and expos. From 2006, we began using the power of the internet to reach out to a wider audience. Also, with San Jose State University Environmental Education majors, we created a cross-cultural curriculum and volunteer awareness program to be used in elementary schools in the Santa Clara Valley. Our Red Panda rangers program has become a big hit with young conservationists, and with the creation of the annual International Red Panda Day we succeeded to deepen and multiply our education outreach and participation in zoos and partner organizations worldwide.