Distribution and habitat attributes associated with the Himalayan red panda in the westernmost distribution range

The Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens), a recently confirmed distinct species in the red panda genus, is distributed in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and south Tibet. Nepal represents the westernmost distribution of the Himalayan red panda. This study aims to determine important habitat features influenc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology and evolution 2021-05, Vol.11 (9), p.4023-4034
Main Authors: Shrestha, Saroj, Thapa, Arjun, Bista, Damber, Robinson, Natasha, Sherpa, Ang Phuri, Acharya, Krishna Prasad, Jnawali, Shant Raj, Lama, Sonam Tashi, Lama, Sony
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ailurus fulgens
Bamboo
biological corridor
Corridors
distribution
Habitat corridors
habitat requirements
Habitats
National parks
Original Research
Pandas
red panda
Relative abundance
Wildlife conservation
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens), a recently confirmed distinct species in the red panda genus, is distributed in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and south Tibet. Nepal represents the westernmost distribution of the Himalayan red panda. This study aims to determine important habitat features influencing the distribution of red panda and recommend possible habitat corridors. This manuscript described current potential habitat of 3,222 km2 with the relative abundance of 3.34 signs/km in Nepal. Aspect, canopy cover, bamboo cover, and distance to water were the important habitat attributes. It suggested five potential corridors in western Nepal. Overall, the study has important implications for conservation of the Himalayan red panda in western distribution range. Himalayan red pandas were confined between the range of 2,600 m–3,600 m, with most records between 3,250 m–3,400 m on the north and west‐facing slopes. The potentially suitable habitat of the red panda in Western Nepal is estimated to be about 3,222 km2 with a relative abundance of 3.34 signs/km.
ISSN:2045-7758
2045-7758
DOI:10.1002/ece3.7297