Whats happening
Zoo's India bound red panda to make history
30 September 2010
A female Nepalese red panda from Auckland Zoo will board a Thai Airways 777 this afternoon, bound for India's Darjeeling Zoo, where, given successful breeding, her offspring will be released into the wild.
Auckland Zoo-born eight-year-old Khosuva, who has not yet been bred from, will be paired up with a mate as part of 'Project Red Panda' at Darjeeling Zoo - the only programme that breeds red panda for release into the wild. Khosuva's offspring, to be released into northern India's Singalila National Park near Nepal, would become the first Auckland Zoo non-native species to be released into the wild.
As part of the cooperative international breeding programme for this threatened species, Auckland Zoo will next month welcome 10-year-old male red panda, Sagar, from Darjeeling Zoo. Sagar, who brings a valuable new bloodline into the region, will be paired up with Khosuva's sister, Amber.
Darjeeling Zoo started 'Project Red Panda' in 1990 with four red panda, and has to date successfully bred over 55 red panda in captivity and released four into the wild. Today it works closely with Red Panda Network Nepal - an organisation that the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund also supports.
"Like many species, the major threats facing the red panda are habitat destruction and fragmentation. A key Red Panda Network Nepal project, supported by our Conservation Fund, is the creation of the Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung corridor, which includes Singalila National Park. This corridor will connect several isolated red panda habitats creating an uninterrupted stretch of protected land extending for 11,500 km2," says Auckland Zoo conservation officer, Peter Fraser.
"This animal exchange and Auckland Zoo's support of a conservation project is a great example of how a zoo's exotic captive population can directly support a wild population. It's incredibly exciting for all of us working in conservation to see the meeting of in situ (in the wild) and (in the zoo) conservation work, and ultimately have our first exotic animal release into the wild," says Mr Fraser.
Auckland Zoo carnivore keeper Lauren Booth will be travelling with Khosvua to settle her into her quarantine in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. She will spend time at Darjeeling Zoo and also work with the Red Panda Network Nepal staff to gain first-hand experience of how Auckland Zoo's support of this project translates on the ground.
Red panda fast facts
Conservation status
- The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
- It is uncertain how many remain in the wild today, but estimates suggest it may be as low 2500 individuals.
- The red panda is threatened by illegal hunting and deforestation. Remaining populations are fast becoming fragmented and isolated from each other.
Home range
- Endemic to the temperate forests of the Himalayas, the red panda ranges from Nepal in the west to China in the east. They are also found in northern India, Bhutan and northern Myanmar.
General
- Average lifespan is eight to 12 years, but the red panda can live up to 15 years.
- The red panda communicates with squeaks, chattering noises and chipmunk-like sounds.
- Although it shares the same name, the red panda is not related to the giant panda. In fact, the red panda is not related to any other animals, making it unique.
Red Panda Network Nepal
Established in 1997, Red Panda Network Nepal is a non-for-profit conservation organisation that Auckland Zoo financially supports through the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund. The organisation is focused on helping the red panda by developing conservation projects, educating local communities and conducting research in the north of India near the Nepalese and Chinese borders, where the red panda is endemic. One of the project's key goals is the development of a wildlife corridor to link Singalila National Park in India with the Tri-national Kanchenjunga conservation area, which crosses three borders - India, China and Nepal. www.redpandanetwork.org