Do not disturb

The ban on human entry into the forests will help the red pandas breed and raise their cubs.

The decision by 14 community forests in Taplejung district to leave the forests to endangered red pandas temporarily is an important step towards making our ecology safe for wildlife. Having started in mid-July, the ban on human entry into the forests until mid-September is aimed at helping the red pandas breed and raise their cubs. Locally called habre , the red pandas are an extremely shy species, and they tend to shift their habitat at the slightest disturbance by external factors, not least human activities. The red pandas are especially vulnerable during the breeding season, which starts at the end of May and lasts until the end of July. As many as 86 percent of red panda cubs die young, making conservation an uphill battle.