Celebrating International Red Panda Day

Ever heard of a firefox? How about a red panda? If not, don't worry. Most people haven't! But there is an adorable little raccoon-like mammal that dwells in the high-altitude forests of the Eastern Himalayas in Nepal, as well as in northeastern India, Bhutan and parts of China and northern Myanmar. Its habitat is shrinking due to deforestation and the spread of agriculture as well as several other factors, including poaching.

Red Panda Trapped at Mabu. Photo credit: Sonam Lama.

What's cool is that the Red Panda Network, a nonprofit devoted to protecting the red panda and its habitat, is working with "forest guardians" who prevent further destruction by mobilizing their local communities to take control of their forests.

Recently, forest guardians in China and Nepal discovered two red panda trapped in cages and waiting to be sold at a restaurant and a pet store. Thanks to the monitoring activities paid for by Red Panda Network, these little cuties were returned to their natural habitat without being harmed.

In order to increase global awareness of the red panda and its unique challenge for survival, Red Panda Network has initiated International Red Panda Day, a global awareness campaign and celebration of this little-known species. If you would like to support the cause, you can adopt a red panda via the Red Panda Network website. Contributions received from International Red Panda Day will fund awareness campaigns in Nepal and China where the two red panda were recently found for sale.

 Stay tuned for more details!