(NP): Poaching reduces Red Panda popuation

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Link:

http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishdaily/ktmpost/2003/dec/dec

31/local.htm#9

 

Poaching reduces Red Panda popuation

 

By Binod Tripathy

 

BAGLUNG, Dec 30 - The poaching of the rare species of panda called

Red Panda from the Dhorpatan wildlife conservation has intensified in

the last few years. This was revealed when employees of this

conservation park found a Red Panda caught in a trap set by poachers

who smuggle these wild species which feed on bamboo leaves.

 

It is learnt that every year, employees of this wildlife conservation

office have been deployed to make rounds of the jungle starting from

mid-November to mid-January. During this year's trip too, like that

of last year they found a red panda caught inside a trap set by

poachers.According to Dhan Bahadur Adai, field officer, 33 such traps

were located inside the conservation area this year, while a year

ago, 53 had been recovered from this region alone. The Department of

National Park and Wildlife prohibits on the poaching of the red

panda.

 

These species of pandas, which are considered very rare in the world,

has been reported from Langtang, Sagarmatha, Kanchunjunga, Makalu and

Dhorpatan region of the country. After the shifting of the

conservation office to district headquarters, the data of the office

showed sudden rise in poaching and smuggling of this rare animal

species, contends the head of this office, Subansha Prasad Chaudhary.

 

The office was shifted after the Maoists destroyed the office in

2001. The employees of the office point out that it is not possible

to patrol inside the conservation area and provide security without

the help of the security personnel.

 

However, Prem Narayan Sharma, the Chief District Officer (CDO), says

that they will arrange security for the patrolling purpose upon

demand from the conservation office.

 

It is learnt that at times even deer get caught in the traps set for

the red pandas. Red pandas are killed mostly for its skin and fur,

which are used in the manufacture of luxury materials.

 

This wildlife conservation area stretches over 1,325 square

kilometres of forest region in Baglung, Myagdi and Rukum. It is

learnt that this conservation region has been divided into four

blocks, and certain parts of it have been made open for hunting.

 

Some of the people have been hunting in the conservation region

without official permission of the office. According to Chaudhary,

just two years back lakhs of rupees used to be collected as revenue

from the conservation region.

 

According to the field officer Dhan Bahadur, even the birds called

Chir is on the verge of extinction, as sightings of these species of

birds has fallen drastically. Red Panda and Chir have been regarded

as the most important species of this region.