First camera trap record of Red Panda Ailurus fulgens (Cuvier, 1825) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ailuridae) from Khangchendzonga, Sikkim, India
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Abstract
The Red Panda Ailurus fulgens (Cuvier, 1825) is recognized as one of the most elusive arboreal carnivores of the eastern Himalaya that is poorly documented. We report the first camera trap record of the Red Panda from the Prek catchment of Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (KBR) in Sikkim, India. A total of three independent image captures were recorded during the sampling. All occurrence records were exclusively from the sub-alpine habitat and restricted to an elevation range of 3,000–3,850 m. This study not only accentuates the significance of sub-alpine habitats for the conservation of the Red Panda but also elucidates the importance of camera traps as an efficient sampling tool. Through this study, we propose the requirement of a long-term study on the species within and outside the protected areas of Sikkim.
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