Endangered Red Panda spotted in Sikkim

GANGTOK: A near-extinct Red Panda has been spotted in the Himalayan state of Sikkim.

The Red Panda was spotted by a group of environmentalist near the Pangolakha wildlife sanctuary in Sikkim on Tuesday (January 09).

Red Panda holds a special significance in the culture of Sikkim and is also the state animal of the Himalayan state.

Sikkim is the second largest home of Red Pandas in the country.

ABOUT RED PANDA

The red panda is a small arboreal mammal found in the forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan and the northern mountains of Myanmar and southern China.

It thrives best at 2200-4800m in mixed deciduous and conifer forests with dense understories of bamboo, though red panda evidences have also been found at 1800m.

In India, this elusive species is found in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal.

It is the state animal of Sikkim. 

Listed as Endangered in the IUCN red list of Threatened Species and under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the red panda has the highest legal protection.

WWF India has been working since 2005 in the eastern Himalayan region to conserve this species.