Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: A zoo in Japan has extended support to the Red Panda Network of Nepal for red panda conservation.
Dr Kanako Tomisawa, the spokesperson for Omuta City Zoo of Japan, and Ang Furi Sherpa, director of Red Panda Network, signed an agreement to this end in Kathmandu on Friday.
As per the agreement, the Japanese zoo will provide technical assistance to Red Panda Network for red panda conservation. “We will set up a donation box at Omuta City Zoo and encourage visitors to extend support for red panda conservation in Nepal,” Dr Tomisawa said. “We are pleased to join hands for wildlife conservation in Nepal.”
Likewise, Sherpa said the Japanese support will begin a new chapter of red panda conservation in Nepal. “We will set up cameras in different areas to monitor the activities of red pandas. Likewise, we will organize awareness campaigns for local representatives, students and the general public to protect this endangered species,” he added.
Red pandas are native to Nepal, Sikkim (India), Myanmar, Bhutan and South China. In Nepal, red pandas are found in forests in northern areas of Nepal. It is listed as a vulnerable species in the IUCN Red List category and Appendix I of CITES. The legal status of this species in Nepal is Protected (Appendix I) under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973.
