In celebration of Red Panda Day 2017 I have decided to share why Red Pandas hold a special place in my heart and why it is so important to protect them.
International Red Panda Day 2017 logo: Contributions from IRPD 2017 events will being going towards the Red Panda Networks Forest Guardian program.
Red Panda Day 2017
Originally created in November 2010 by Red Panda Network (RPN), since 2011 International Red Panda Day (IRPD) has been celebrated on the third Saturday of September every year.
Zoos and wildlife parks worldwide hold events in order to raise awareness of the species and the need to preserve their natural habitat.
Starting out with just 16 zoos and schools the number of establishments actively participating in IRPD has more than quadrupled, with 83 zoos around the world involved in IRPD 2017 on its 8th anniversary.
Fact File
>> There are 2 subspecies of Red Panda:
Ailurus fulgens fulgens – found in Nepal, Northeastern India, Bhutan and parts of China,
Ailurus fulgens styani found only in China and Northern Myanmar.
>> Red pandas are also known as lesser pandas and firefoxes.
>> Though their diet consists mostly of bamboo like the famous black and white conservation icon that shares their name, red pandas bamboo munching habits are slightly different. Giant pandas eat almost every single part of the bamboo with the exception of the roots, in comparison red pandas only eat the leaves and tender shoots of bamboo – they will also eat fruit, eggs and insects.
>> They live up to 8 years of age in the wild.
>> Red Pandas Grow to around the size of a domestic cat, between 20-26 inches in length with a 12-20 inch tail that they wrap around themselves like a fluffy scarf in order to preserve warmth.
Three Red Pandas I photographed whilst volunteering: The Welsh Mountain Zoo, where this picture was taken, has been involved with International Red Panda Day since the beginning – one of the original 16 zoos to host events when the day was founded in 2010 they still host events and keeper talks every year to commemorate the day.
Why Protect Red Pandas
Red Pandas are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List with potentially less than 2500 left in the wild.
The RPN states 3 main reasons behind the importance of protecting the Red Panda:
1. Climate Change – Due to their habitat range in the middle mountains of south Asia, Red Pandas are ambassadors for clean air and water for over 500 million people – protecting Red Pandas habitat ensures a cleaner healthier life for; other animals, people and plants within south Asia.
2. Ecological Integrity – Conservation biologists have found that Red Pandas are environmental indicators for the health of their habitat. A declining population could mean the future is unsure for one of the most important ecological regions on the planet.
3. Biodiversity – Red Pandas are the only species of their kind. They are unique and specialised in surviving in their particular habitat, with no close living relatives RPN describe them as “a living relic of times past”.
The first Red Panda I ever worked with: This interaction was one of the moments that made me who I am today.
Why Red Pandas Are Important To Me
During my time studying at Reaseheath College, I was required to take part in a work placement for one of my modules.
Having fallen in love with the exotic species housed within the college zoo I hoped to carry out my placement within a zoo or wildlife park.
Aware that I needed to stay within relatively close driving distance from my house at the time in order to reduce costs whilst volunteering, I first looked to my local Zoos: Chester and Welsh Mountain Zoo.
Knowing that my local zoos were extremely popular with volunteers, and work experience and wanting to gain a unique experience to present to my classmates upon completing the placement, I decided to think outside of the box – or more accurately the country.
I arranged to stay with my relatives in the Isle of Man and gained a place in Curraghs Wildlife Park for a few weeks over the summer of 2012.
During my placement I gained the opportunity to feed the parks Red Pandas.
All it takes is a spark: One of the reasons I value Zoos so much is because they can reach more people than any other conservation facility or organisation and allow for members of the public to experience moments that can inspire a passion for wildlife and the natural world. It can be the biggest experience to the smallest moment but regardless of how it starts, those experiences can lead people to make a difference..
Whilst distributing the bamboo one of the Pandas climbed down, sat in front of me on a tree branch and started eating the shoots I was holding, and as I took out my phone to take a picture he wrapped his paw around my hand.
Entirely aware that he was simply trying to get a grip on the bamboo he was eating – it didn’t matter, it was and remains to this day one of the happiest and best moments in my life.
It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to become a Zoo Keeper, to help spread awareness of and inspire action to protect and conserve the incredible species found worldwide and their homes.
Although my dreams are still in progress, looking back on all I have achieved so far, I know that it all started with a spark from a little Firefox.
To get involved with International Red Panda Day 2017 and make your own difference, visit your local Zoo and take part in their Panda events today or go online and make a donation to the Red Panda Network or organise your own Panda Fundraiser.
Thank you
Rebecca Snell's Blog 