Efforts have begun for the conservation of the endangered red panda in IIlam. The initiative involves tree plantation and fencing on government land at the Potato Development Center located in Sandakpur and Maijogmai Rural Municipalities.
Most of the 8,424 ropanis of land, owned by the Ministry of Agriculture, are unused, and efforts are being made to utilize it for the development of ecological corridors. A technical team formed by the Ministry of Forests and Environment has already conducted studies and monitoring, engaging with local representatives.
The Red Panda Network had previously purchased 800 ropanis of land in the same area for red panda conservation, where tree planting has already been done. To expand the ecological corridors for the red panda, additional land is needed, and efforts are underway to transfer this land from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Forests and Environment for further work.
Efforts are being made to create ecological corridors for wildlife movement by planting trees in high-altitude areas such as Jowbari, Meghma, and Tumling. Dhananjaya Lamichhane, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, and coordinator of the technical team, stated that the first phase will assess the suitability of the land.
Currently, cattle farming is taking place in the area. The initiative aims to conserve the land, increase greenery, and create employment opportunities, according to Ang Phuri Sherpa, Executive Director of the Red Panda Network.
The work involves planting plants for the red panda’s diet and creating ecological corridors in collaboration with the Deepjyoti Youth Club.
This area lies on the Nepal-India border. While the Indian side has dense forests, the Nepalese side is barren, causing difficulties for wildlife movement. It is expected that planting trees and increasing greenery on the Nepalese side will facilitate the movement of endangered species, including the red panda, across the border. The Indian side of the area is part of the Singh Lila National Park, a protected area. Red pandas are found in 13 districts of Nepal, including IIlam, Taplejung, and Panchthar.
