Red Panda Conservation

Red Panda Conservation. . , The Red Panda is considered one of the most honored and important species to the native people of Nepal. The Nepalese people refer to bamboo eaters as "poonya", which translates into the name panda. Since bamboo is red pandas primary food source the name panda was used to identify them. It is not related to Giant Panda in any way and is actually more closely related to raccoons., Having been an endangered species since 1996, the Red Panda faces many threats in its natural range. Deforestation is considered the most serious threat, as it fragments populations of this arboreal species and greatly hinders its ability to reproduce in the wild. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums manages captive red pandas in a breeding program that allows genetic diversity amongst the captive program., With a captive population of less than 200 in North America, the Species Survival Plan (SSP), hopes to continue to grow this population through sound management and successful breeding. The Cape May County Zoo is proud to participate in the Red Panda SSP., In addition to the AZA's SSP, other organizations exist to help Red Pandas in the wild. Run by volunteers, the Red Panda Network in Nepal created the world's first community monitored program. Local villagers are employed to monitor local forests and to educate local forest users about the red panda.