Meet the forest guardians of Nepal saving the last wild red pandas

Since 2014, Ang Phuri Sherpa has been pioneering the protection of the endangered red panda as country director of the Red Panda Network in Nepal. These cat-sized pandas face endless threats, whether falling victim to hunting or the loss of their forest habitat. It’s estimated there are as few as 2 500 in the wild. By educating and empowering locals, Sherpa is at the forefront of fighting for these endearing creatures. 

“Ignorance isn’t bliss,” he says. “If we ignore the cries of our environment there won’t be much of it.” Growing up in Nepal, Sherpa didn’t realise the dangers wild red pandas faced. While he knew locals trapped them to sell at the market, he was unaware of how this was decimating the population of red pandas in his country. “The protection of this species was not a priority for rural people,” Sherpa says. After working with the World Wildlife Fund he got involved with the Red Panda Network to expand his impact on conservation in his home country. “Sadly, all the threats are human induced, like degradation, fragmentation of red panda habitat, poaching and illegal trade of its pelt, and also pressure from development like road and hydropower,” Sherpa explains. 

Through education initiatives, forest restoration, citizen scientist research, and the creation of corridors for breeding, Sherpa and his team are leading efforts to protect red pandas. The network’s Forest Guardians programme enables locals to support their families with the income they earn from monitoring and preserving pandas and their environment. “We have been able to save many pandas in the last 10 years and their habitat is improving,” Sherpa says. “This makes me feel like I’m contributing something that will make a great difference to people and the planet.” Knowledge is power, and he is ensuring communities across Nepal are equipped with the tools to conserve their land and its wildlife. 

You can contribute to the work of the Red Panda Network here.

Footage by the Red Panda Network was used in the creation of this film.