Nepal’s ‘forgotten’ red pandas: poachers become protectors in campaign to save rare species

Ramesh, then a young student, said a local from his village tricked him into transporting the pelt in exchange for about 20,000 rupees (US$150). He realised he had committed a crime only after the arrest.

“I did not know it was an endangered species,” Ramesh said.

Now Ramesh and others like him aim to share their stories with local communities as part of an initiative to raise awareness about the threatened creatures. The programme, which is being implemented by the non-profit Red Panda Network, is seeking to employ poachers and traffickers to turn them into protectors of the species.

In Nepal, there are around 1,000 red pandas living in 24 of the country’s 77 districts, mostly in the eastern and western regions, according to Red Panda Network. Around 70 per cent live outside protected areas, which conservationists – who sometimes refer to the animals as Nepal’s “forgotten pandas”– say make them vulnerable to poaching and other threats.

To combat these threats, the Red Panda Network has been mobilising local communities to protect the species. The non-profit has deployed 100 “forest guardians” across 13 districts where it works to monitor and survey red pandas in their areas.

Surya Bhattrai, 50, is one such forest guardian in the eastern district of Taplejung.

Armed with a GPS device and other equipment, Bhattarai patrols the forest area every three months, temporarily taking a break from farming. He said while they use red panda footprints and scat to determine their habitat, the forest guardians also monitor other wildlife and other possible crimes during their rounds.

Bhattarai said he first learned about red pandas while listening to a radio programme nearly two decades ago and later connected with a local conservation