Nearly Rs. 15 million to be spent on red panda conservation this year

By Chandra Pandak

Taplejung, Aug. 6: Around Rs. 14.3 million will be spent on red panda conservation in Taplejung in the current fiscal year. The Himalayan Conservation Forum is allocating the budget to protect the rare and endangered red panda.

During a District Project Advisory Committee meeting held in Phungling on Monday, the Forum shared its budget and plans for the fiscal year 2025/26 (2082/83). 

According to Ramesh Rai, Programme Coordinator at the Forum, Rs 14.3 million will be spent on various conservation activities.

Out of this, Rs. 407,028 will go towards baseline surveys, and Rs. 707,500 for regular red panda monitoring. For block demarcation in monitoring areas, Rs. 92,500 is allocated and Rs. 252,000 is set aside for red panda-related environmental education and textbook management.

Similarly, Rs. 1,46,400 will be used for monitoring illegal hunting and trade. The largest share -- Rs. 3.86 million -- will be spent on growing red panda-friendly plants, nursery management and plantation activities. Likewise, Rs. 108,000 is allocated for conserving water sources in community forests and Rs. 529,500 for student conservation awards.

To train forest guardians involved in red panda conservation, Rs. 250,800 has been set aside. A further Rs. 249,500 is allocated for rabies vaccination and vitamin programmes for domestic and community dogs. Another Rs. 3.24 million will go towards managing the Himalayan Red Panda Centre, including installing solar lights, CCTV cameras and building staff cottages, according to Rai.

The remaining budget will be used for staff salaries, administration and other office expenses, Rai said.

During the meeting, District Coordination Committee Chief and Chair of the Project Advisory Committee, Chiring Lama, stressed the need for more result-oriented efforts. 

Amir Maden, Mayor of Phungling Municipality, said that illegal poaching has created challenges in red panda conservation. He suggested that effective measures should be taken to protect red pandas and forests to control such activities.

Netra Prasad Sharma, Chief District Officer (CDO), also said that traps set by poachers are sometimes found in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, calling for increased vigilance by conservation groups. 

District Police Chief DSP Bed Prasad Gautam suggested including police in anti-poaching and monitoring efforts run by the Forum.

Despite the large budget spent on red panda conservation, participants expressed concern that data showed little improvement in red panda numbers or conditions. They recommended implementing a special action plan with clear goals.

The meeting also reviewed last year’s conservation activities. Chandra Mani Limbu, Chairperson of the Himalayan Conservation Forum, said that red panda conservation work is being carried out in all local levels of the district except Aathrai Tribeni Rural Municipality. He added that future programmes would be planned and implemented based on suggestions from stakeholders.