Dayahang releases Red Panda conservation app

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 23: Actor Dayahang Rai has produced a musical PSA (Public Service Announcement) with a message of Red Panda conservation.

The Red Panda Network, an international organisation working in Nepal on Red Panda conservation, has collaborated with Mandala Theatre to produce a 3.5-minute PSA.

Red Panda Network's programme coordinator Sonam Tashi Lama said that his organisation was working on Red Panda conservation since 2007 and aimed to further expand community knowledge about the pandas. He said the video was created with this goal in mind.

"As in COVID-19, we repeatedly transmit the very simple information of washing our hands, though we all know its importance. Similarly, it seems we need to repeat the conservation message to remind people and make the conservation effective," Lama said. "That's why this video was prepared."

"The video was made like a musical performance as we work in the theater," actor Rai said. He added that artistes also had a responsibility to be serious on the issues of conservation.

"We will bring this three-minute video on stage with the complete story very soon," said Rai. In the video, the characters are robed in Ghale dress ghalek and Newari dress hakupatasi. The characters are pandas and they tell their story. The video has Benuka Rai's music and Anup Neupane's poetry.

The shy and endangered Red Panda is found in 24 districts of Nepal. It moves even at night and is especially active in the morning and evening. The Red Panda is found in the southeastern region of China from Sichuan, Yunnan to Burma, Bhutan, India and Nepal.

The Red Panda is a solitary wild animal that prefers to live alone in certain areas. One female Red Panda, in particular, lives alone in one area. It is estimated that there are 300 to 500 Red Pandas in Nepal.