GANGTOK,: A stakeholder consultation workshop on red panda conservation was held in Gangtok on Thursday. Organized by WWF-India in collaboration with State Forest department and supported by SBI Foundation (SBIF), the workshop aimed to share research findings from WWF-India’s SBIF-funded Red Panda Conservation program and to discuss the challenges and opportunities for red panda conservation in Sikkim with the stakeholders, informs a press release.
The event had the presence of senior officials and front line staff from Forest department, panchayat members and local communities from Red Panda fringe villages of Mangan and Gangtok districts.
Lak Tsheden Theengh, landscape coordinator at WWF-India, Gangtok, shared the first field experience with regard to the WWF-India’s work on red panda since the last 20 years. In her presentation, she highlighted the challenges and opportunities encountered in working with the communities in red panda habitats.
She also mentioned about the establishment of red panda guardians who are major players on ground for red panda surveys and generating awareness on red panda in core red panda fringe villages. She highlighted how Sikkim Forest department has been instrumental in facilitating WWF-India’s objectives both officially and on ground and expressed her gratitude towards the same. She also spoke about the ongoing activities and events with respect to community-based efforts in red panda habitats, under the SBIF-funded project for the last three years.
Atharva Singh, program officer, Species and Community, WWF-India, Gangtok, presented the research activities conducted under the SBIF-funded red panda conservation project. His presentation highlighted past and ongoing research as well as future plans that emphasize a research-oriented approach to red panda conservation.
Dawa Choden Bhutia, a panchayat member from Phadamchen, thanked WWF-India, SBI Foundation and Forest department for their ongoing waste management interventions in Phadamchen. She mentioned that such collaborative works should be encouraged in future as well for meaningful conservation.
An official from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) emphasized their willingness to support red panda conservation, noting their significant presence in the region and the importance of collective action.
Udai Gurung, CF-WL, spoke on the need to reassess forest conservation efforts and stressed the crucial role of foresters in strengthening conservation. Sikkim is a rich biodiversity hotspot and it is the responsibility of not just the Forest department but also general public to come forward, he said. He appreciated WWF-India for the research work on red panda that has led to many other conservation work along with the communities.
Dr. D. Manjunatha, Chief Conservator of Forests (HQ), addressed the broader threats to wildlife conservation in Sikkim and underlined the importance of societal behavioral change towards effective conservation of red panda.
The workshop also had an interactive session where stakeholders provided feedback and engaged in discussions. Dr. Rishi Kumar Sharma, head of the Himalayan Program at WWF-India, summarized the inputs and shared that conserving the red panda is integral to the overall well-being of the ecosystem. He also mentioned the importance of a follow-up meeting to assign responsibilities based on the feedback received.