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Red Panda Decline

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Decline of the red Panda
The Red Panda is a warm and furry, cute animal that is similar to a house cat, but related distantly to the Giant Panda and the raccoon. It is also called the lesser panda and the Red cat bear. Unlike the raccoon the Red Panda is on the endanger list because of a significant decline in it’s population; over 50% decrease in the last three generations. As a result of deforestation and lost of habitat, a significant decline in the red panda population has been observed. Each country that the red panda inhabits has different issues with its decline, but deforestation and loss of habit remain the larger problem. Today the Red Panda is found in these countries: China, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan. At one time the Red panda …show more content…

Red pandas live in a high altitude temperate forest that has bamboo and these forests are found in the Himalayas, Myanmar, China, Nepal, India and Tibet. Their habitat is shrinking because of more humans. Humans need housing, heating and land for farming so as they move in logging begins for building and heat. Once homes are established, humans need food, so then land is cleared for farming and ranching. The increase in human growth has definitely affected the decrease in the red panda population. As more and more humans occupy the red panda’s territory more threats appear such as more illegal hunting, dogs, and loss of bamboo. People also poach and capture red pandas for illegal trade. Whether the trade is in meat, pelts or animal trafficking these things harm the ability of the red panda to survive in their natural habitat. Even today very little is done to better enforce the laws that could make an impact on the survival of the red panda. Also because the red panda has a picky digestive system they are unable to adapt to loss of bamboo in the ever-changing landscape of their specialized …show more content…

Deforestation and loss of habitat is a result of man's encroachment into the red panda’s world. In that world that is shrinking the red pandas predator’s habitats shrinks and lose food sources, so the red panda becomes an easy meal. Because of the red pandas genetics it requires bamboo as the main food source, as this source is lost to deforestation the red panda is unable to adapt. As their habitat shrinks the gene pool for the red panda become narrower and with inbreeding the breed weakens. Some many factors are stacked against this cute, fuzzy and lovable creature; but the main factor that started the decline and continues to plague this beautiful creature is man. Man started the deforestation and continued to claim more and more land that in turn has caused a steady decline in the red

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