Improved Trapping and Handling of an Arboreal, Montane Mammal: Red Panda Ailurus fulgens

Abstract

It is sometimes essential to have an animal in the hand to study some of their ecological and biological characteristics. However, capturing a solitary, cryptic, elusive arboreal species such as the red panda in the wild is challenging. We developed and successfully tested a protocol for tracking, trapping, immobilization, and handling of red pandas in the wild in eastern Nepal. We established a red panda sighting rate of 0.89 panda/day with a capture success rate of 0.6. We trapped and collared one animal in 3.7 days. On average, we took nearly 136 (range 50–317) min to capture an animal after spotting it. Further processing was completed in 38.5 (21–70) min. Before capture, we found it difficult to recognize the sex of the red panda and to differentiate sub-adults above six months from adults. However, body weight, body length, tail length, shoulder height, and chest girth can be used for diagnosis, as these attributes are smaller in sub-adults. Our method is a welfare-friendly way of trapping and handling wild red pandas. We report new morphometric data that could serve as a guide for field identification.

First record of Bengal Tiger, Panthera tigris tigris Linnaeus, 1758 (Felidae), in eastern Nepal

“…The PIT area also harbors Red Panda, another Endangered species in the eastern Himalaya (Glatston et al 2015;Bista et al 2021). The rich assemblage of carnivores and prey species with high relative abundance (Lama 2018) shows the significance of the PIT area as a biologically important corridor and reinforces the need to prioritize this area for conservation.…”

“…Nonetheless, tiger populations are gradually increasing (DNPWC and DFSC 2018;Harihar et al 2018;Jhala et al 2019) since the launch of the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP 2010). We captured a tiger individual in one of the cameras deployed as a part of the Red Panda, Ailurus fulgens (Cuvier, 1825), telemetry study in the Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung (PIT) area of eastern Nepal (Bista et al 2021).…”

Potential effects of GPS collars on the behaviour of two red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) in Rotterdam Zoo

“…We however recommend further studies in a controlled set-up in other zoos or with wild individuals for a better understanding of the effects of GPS collars on red pandas. Ten adult wild red pandas in the temperate broad-leaf mixed and rhododendron forests of eastern Nepal have recently been fitted with GPS collars using our recommendations [ 35 ]. Results of that study will in due time most certainly add to our understanding of the effects GPS collars can have.…”

Effect of disturbances and habitat fragmentation on an arboreal habitat specialist mammal using GPS telemetry: a case of the red panda

“…We visited each cattle station and recorded their GPS locations. We captured and equipped 10 red pandas including six females and four males with GPS collars (LiteTrack Iridium 150 TRD) following a standard operating procedure (Bista et al 2021b ). Of these, we collared seven individuals in site 1, and rest of the three animals in site 2 (Table 1 ).…”

“…This medium-sized species is a diet specialist feeding almost exclusively on bamboo (Pradhan et al 2001 ). Being a solitary, cryptic and territorial arboreal mammal, it is difficult to study in the wild (Yonzon 1989 ; Bista et al 2021b ). Habitat loss and fragmentation are the major threats to red panda conservation (Acharya et al 2018 ; Dalui et al 2020 ; Hu et al 2020 ).…”