KATHMANDU — A hilly town close to Nepal’s eastern border with India has declared an area under its jurisdiction as the country’s first community-based red panda (Ailurus fulgens) conservation area, fueling hope for the endangered species’ long-term survival.
The Puwamajhuwa area, spread over 116.21 hectares (287.16 acres) of lush-green temperate broad-leaved trees, incorporates two community-managed forests in Ilam Municipality, which shall now be dedicated to the conservation of the small mammals.
“Red pandas are one of the most endangered and beautiful wildlife species in the world,” said Kedar Thapa, mayor of Ilam Municipality. “In the context of Nepal, this conservation area can become a significant milestone in promoting ecotourism,” he added.
The declaration came a year after the municipality prepared and published the procedure needed to give legal recognition to the conservation area. According to the procedure, the declaration was made in accordance with the municipality’s forest laws to boost conservation efforts of red pandas and their natural habitat, and to contribute to the livelihood and prosperity of the local communities.
Red pandas, found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and China, face a host of threats such as habitat loss and degradation, illegal trapping and poaching and snaring. The construction of unplanned roads in Nepal’s eastern hills and development of hydropower projects has also fragmented the habitats of these peace-loving animals.
The species, listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, is also included in Appendix I of CITES, the global wildlife trade convention, making its trade illegal.
It’s estimated that of the fewer than 15,000 individuals that remain in the wild, around 500 roam in Nepal’s hills, where they thrive in bamboo forests.
Research shows that hunters continue to kill the animals for their pelt even as there’s no real market for it. Conservationists attribute this to a lack of awareness and understanding among community members who are in the dark about the animal and its ecological importance.
The document states that a management committee under the patronage of the mayor shall oversee the running of the conservation area. The committee shall have representatives from local stakeholders such as community forest user groups, Indigenous peoples, pastoral families and local and provincial governments.
“Red pandas were abundant here; not only did they inhabit the forests, they would also occasionally venture into the village,” said Heman Sunuwar, chair of Ilam Municipality Ward No.3, where the new conservation area is located. “Our community has a history of helping these red pandas return to the wild.”
The law mandates the committee to prepare a management plan for the community red panda conservation area in coordination with the community forest user groups and relevant stakeholders. The community forest user groups are responsible for carrying out forest conservation and management activities according to this approved plan.
The management plan includes different aspects of red panda conservation such as habitat management, prevention and control of forest fires, control of invasive species, research, monitoring and evaluation and ecotourism promotion.
“This is exemplary work by the local government,” said Haris Chandra Rai, program development manager at the NGO Red Panda Network, which, along with the Rainforest Trust, provided technical assistance to the town to prepare plans for the conservation area. “Conservation is not easy, and it takes a lot of time. To make conservation effective, we need to put in significant effort,” he added.
Following the promulgation of the new Constitution in Nepal in 2015, locally elected municipal governments have been given unprecedented authority. They have been authorized to make and amend laws related to matters listed as being under their jurisdiction in the Constitution. Protection of watersheds, wildlife, mines and minerals falls under the exclusive list of local government powers.
This is in sharp contrast to a significant period during the decade-long Maoist insurgency in Nepal (1996-2006) when local governments were run by bureaucrats, as elections couldn’t take place due to threat of violence.
The red panda conservation area follows in the footsteps of other similar initiatives. In May 2022, Ghodaghodi complex, a wetland in western Nepal’s Sudurpashchim province, was declared Nepal’s first bird sanctuary by the provincial and the Ghodaghodi municipal governments.
This article by Abhaya Raj Joshi was first published by Mongabay.com on 29 August 2024. Lead Image: A red panda on a bamboo tree. Image courtesy of ZSL.
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