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Red Pandas Of Sikkim
Nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, Sikkim is home to a wide variety of vegetation and an equally diverse group of mammals. One of the most striking among these is the Red Panda or the ‘lesser panda’.
While the name “panda” comes from the Nepalese “ponya” to denote bamboo-eaters, French zoologist Frédéric Cuvier was the first person to publish the name “red panda” and he gave it the taxonomic term Ailurus fulgens, that is “a cat with shining fur.” Biologically, the Red Pandas have been classified as carnivores. This is due to their shared ancestry with other carnivores and their cat-like muzzle structure that are designed for ripping and shredding meat, but the red pandas switched to a bamboo-based diet roughly two million years ago. Over time, they also developed an elongated wrist-bone called a ‘pseudo-thumb’ in order to grasp the bamboo while feeding. Because they retain the carnivore digestive system, they have to consume roughly 1 to 2 kilograms of bamboo shoots and leaves each day to get enough energy. However, they occasionally consume smaller birds, rodents and eggs too.
A Red Panda seated on a tree. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons.
A red panda walking in the Himalayan Zoological Park at Bulbuley, near Gangtok. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
These tree-dwelling mammals occupy stretches of deciduous broad-leaved and coniferous forests across the Eastern Himalayas, between Nepal in the west and China in the east; in India, they are distributed among the regions of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Darjeeling Hills.
Sikkim is home to the second largest red panda population in India after Arunachal Pradesh, numbering up to 300 in total. Yet, the animal is seemingly elusive and there remains a paucity of information about its status as their habitat is relatively inaccessible. However, the red panda has traditionally found mentions in local myths and legends and has been accorded the honour of being the state animal of Sikkim. In the Himalayan folktale tradition, the red panda is viewed as a magical creature that guides and protects young children and lost travellers back home. They are symbols of prosperity and wellness and are perceived to bring good fortune and peace to families and communities.
Six of the eight protected areas of the state have reported red pandas: the Khangchendzonga National Park in the north and west districts of Sikkim, Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary in the north, Pangolakha Wildlife and Kyongnosla Alpine sanctuaries in the east district, Maenam Wildlife Sanctuary in the south district and, lastly, the Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in the west district.
It is important to note that there have been far fewer sightings of the pandas around most of these reserves since the 2000s. The loss of available forest cover, illegal trade in its fur, and increased incidences of poaching are some of the many factors that contribute to the vulnerability of the red pandas. The red panda is an endangered mammal listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and also as a Schedule I species in the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.
Sikkim forms the ecological connecting point between India and its neighbours—China, Bhutan and Nepal. Together, they form a critical connected belt of regions where the Red Pandas are widely distributed.
While the Sikkim Forest Department uses the red panda on its coat of arms, the Tourism Department of Sikkim has made the red panda the mascot of its annual Winter Carnival since 2016. The carnival is now popularly called the Sikkim ‘Red Panda’ Winter Carnival. Here, Sikkimese history and culture are celebrated through a display of food, art, folk-music, crafts and sports. This aims to boost the tourism sector by giving visitors a firsthand chance of experiencing Sikkimese culture and cuisines.
A view from the Khangchendzonga National Park. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Pristine Oak forests are crucial for the long-term survival of Red Pandas. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
Embedded in the inclusive idea of ‘Unity in Diversity’, the carnival seeks to promote communal harmony and fraternity among the various ethnic groups within Sikkim, while also inculcating national pride. The festival begins with a cultural parade led by the festival mascot, the Red Panda. The parade is the heart of the event, with people dressed in ethnic attire dancing gleefully to the rhythm of drums. The delicious array of food representing the culinary worlds of Lepchas, Bhutias, Nepalis among others, is symbolic of the seamless co-existence of multiple cultures in the state.
With a growing fascination towards the Red Pandas among the youth, especially within popular culture, it is hoped that the conservation drive to protect the endangered species shall receive greater boost and help increase the falling numbers of this culturally and ecologically significant species.
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