Bhutan seeks ZSI's help in Red Panda conservation; to ink deal on July 1

The Bhutan government is all set to ink a deal with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for the conservation of Red Pandas. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed on July 1, which is the 108th Foundation Day of the ZSI.

Kolkata: The Bhutan government has sought the help of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) for the conservation of Red Pandas. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the process will be signed on July 1, which is the 108th Foundation Fay of the ZSI. “Our work for Red Panda conservation in the Himalayan region has been globally acclaimed. The Government of Bhutan approached us for technical assistance and cooperation. So, that we can help them save the Red Panda. Necessary clearances have been received at the government level. The government of Bhutan has already provided us with 25 per cent of the money. So, that we can start working immediately. The formal MoU will be signed on July 1," ZSI director Dhrithi Banerjee told ETV Bharat.

This was the first such cross-border cooperation programme between the two neighbouring countries. The Red Panda is a mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. This animal has been listed as an endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 2008.

In a recent study, the ZSI scientists concluded that the Red Pandas in India--the Himalayan Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) and the Chinese Red Panda (Ailurus steanii) and the Red Panda of the Siang River region of Arunachal Pradesh--are divided into two phylogenetic species. The 108th Foundation Day of the ZSI will be celebrated in Kolkata on July 1. It will be inaugurated by the Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.