Exciting news from the Red Panda Network field team arrives just in time for Endangered Species Day this year. While the presence of red panda was already confirmed a few years ago in the greater Panchthar District, a Red Panda Network forest guardian recently spotted and photographed a red panda in the Phalaicha Village Development Committee (VDC) of Panchthar District.
The young forest guardian, Mr. Tej Kumar Rai, was only recently trained by the Red Panda Network field team, during a two-day workshop that took place in Phidim, Panchthar with the Deep Jyoti Youth Club in April. Along with 10 other forest guardians, he learned about red panda ecology and conservation issues, GPS usage techniques, and methods and techniques of community-based red panda monitoring. Rai had just finished his first monitoring, when he caught sight of the beautiful red panda in a tree.
“Mr. Rai has shown exceptional diligence and determination. We are impressed with his skills and grateful for the photos and video of red panda he captured with his cell phone,” said Sonam Tashi Lama, Red Panda Network Conservation Coordinator.
The discovery is exciting news for Red Panda Network field team and staff, as the presence of red panda in this tiny VDC had been previously speculated, but not confirmed.
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