Join KAT and help Save the Few Remaining Red Pandas
KAT has been working with key wildlife experts and WWF is the world’s leading independent conservation organisation to develop a simple yet effective program K-POP (KATs Protection of red Pandas) which will help save the few remaining pandas from extinction.
Red Panda’s?
Red pandas are a symbol of Nepal, but not for much longer. Only a few remaining pockets of Red Pandas still exist in the wild and unfortunately, their population is on a rapid decline!
KAT has the solution- KPOP! Join us to protect the health and welfare Red Panda and stray dogs today.
Why KAT?
We were contacted by the Red Panda Alliance and Nordens Ark who were concerned that numerous free-roaming dogs within the red panda habitat are triggering high mortality rates of red pandas.Wild, stray dogs are a key threat to the continued existence of the red pandas, both from attacks and the transmission of diseases which pandas are highly susceptible to.
In just the last 20 years, half of all the red pandas in the wild have died out, with as few as 2,500 pandas remaining in the wild. This is not just an issue for red pandas, but the welfare of stray dogs and the livelihoods of rural communities too. Today only a few remaining pockets of Red Pandas survive in Nepal.
Nepal is the last remaining place in the world which still has a sustainable, wild, red panda population and they need to be protected.
Langtang and the other National Park in Nepal are critically important habitat for red pandas, offering them a small pocket of protection from poachers, hunters and the continuing expansion of cities which has destroyed the majority of there habitat. Red Pandas in Nepal now live in pockets scattered throughout East Nepal and numbers continue to decline as human populations grow and red pandas territories overlap more and more with stray and free-roaming dogs
The Problem
We were contacted by the Red Panda Alliance and Nordens Ark who were concerned that numerous free-roaming dogs within the red panda habitat are triggering high mortality rates of red pandas.Wild, stray dogs are a key threat to the continued existence of the red pandas, both from attacks and the transmission of diseases which pandas are highly susceptible to.
“Red Pandas are a symbol of Nepal, but so are the street dogs everyone loves so much, we need to do more to protect both”
What is killing the Red Pandas?
One of the biggest reported problems comes from the increase contact between stray dogs and red pandas. Dogs not only attach these small creatures, but also transmit distemper through there urine which Red pandas are high susceptible and in the majority of cases- highly deadly. As dogs often urine-mark on the bottoms of trees this ensures a high contact rate with red pandas.
Red Pandas attract eco-groups, conservation efforts and tourist-income to support a rural population. In Nepal Conservation, eco-tourist and volunteering in these areas supports over 500 million people who would, without this trade, live in abject poverty. Nepal is the last remaining place in the world with a thriving wild Red Panda population, however, the overlap with the stray dog population has, for the first time, brought them into contact with distemper which has killed Red Pandas in droves. Stray dogs are now an existential threat to the continued existence of the Red Panda.
Because of the thriving eco-tourism attraction, anytime there is a dog attack on one of these precious pandas, “the community retaliation is swift, brutal and often cruel“. Despite the larger mountain dog-breeds likely being responsible for much of the transmission, attacks and mortality, the misguided hatred and backlash is often targeted at street dogs which do not provide any significant role in red panda mortality.
If we do not act now the growing resentment against stray dogs could result in the local government ordering a mass culling of the stray population, a common (yet ineffective) way to deal with dogs, a problem we have already seen in Bhaktapur, Chitwan and Khotang areas and something KAT has been fighting against for over 16 years.
Dogs are also implicated in killing many red pandas and spreading 7 different species of parasitic diseases as well as numerous viruses, all highlight fatal to this endangered species. However Distemper Virus (Dv) is by far thought to be the biggest killer of Red Pandas. Red Pandas only need to come into indirect contact with dogs through an infected dog’s urine to become sick and die. As un-sterilized stray dogs widely mark their territory by urinating on trees and logs, the risk of red pandas contact with urine is high.
The Solution
KAT has worked with key wildlife experts and conservation organisations to develop a simple yet effective program KPOP (KATs Protection of red Pandas) which will help protect the Red Pandas in Nepal. KAT will map and target the stray dog populations which are increasingly overlapping with the red panda territories and provide mass vaccination to reduce transmission of canine distemper, and mass sterilization to control overpopulation both responsible for killing large numbers of pandas in the east of Nepal. With technical support from World Wildlife Fund-Nepal, the KAT centre is on a mission to safeguard the street dog population and protect the red pandas for generations to come.
Our program steps:
Mapping of stray dog and panda territories to determine key overlaps
Mass buffer zone vaccination of stray dogs against distemper
Capacity building of local NGO vets to treat and rehabilitation injured Red Pandas
Annual sterilization camps to control canine overpopulation and territorial overlap
Working with the local government to promote humane population control over culling
KAT will leverage its support and experience to ensure agreements are signed with local municipalities, that KAT will provide vaccination and sterilization to the stray dog population, capacity building to local environmental NGOs and treatment assistance to sick and injured red pandas, ONLY ON THE WRITTEN AGREEMENT that no culling will be conducted in these areas to support another key goal of KAT; ‘To make Nepal a cull-free country’.
You can help make a transformation impact on the lives of so many animals all across Nepal- join us and support the KPOP program today.
Case Study 1
Case Study from the Red Panda Alliance in Ilam, Nepal.
Maijogmai Rural municipality Eastern Nepal.
Sunday, March 24, at around 5:30 PM.
It is common to see dogs interacting and attacking red pandas. Locals from a rural village in Ilam recently rescued a red panda that was being chased by stray dogs. A red panda was being attacked by a gang of stray dogs and being chased down the road. Luckily a local man by the name of Santosh Rai was able to rescue the panda and keep it in his house until the dogs dispersed. The panda was released the next day into the forest, but will likely come into contact with stray dogs again and may not be so lucky next time.
Case Study 2
Case Study from Langtang National Park, Nepal.
Shishapangma, Region Chinese board with Nepal.
Wednesday, July 3rd 2019.
Distemper is a significant contributor to the high mortality rates in red pandas. This photo was taken of a red Panda exhibiting characteristics signs of late stage distemper and likely died a few days after this photo was taken. Sadly this is now a common sight, the distemper virus breaks down the red pandas immunity system and causes various secondary bacterial infections, and the characteristic sunken eyes, scruffy coat and inability to climb or find food.
We want to secure the health, wellbeing and population of Red Pandas in Nepal for future generations of Nepali children to enjoy and protect. With your help we can ensure this is a reality. Please support KATs Protection Of Red Pandas (KPOP)
If we do not act now the growing resentment against stray dogs could result in the local government ordering a mass culling of the stray population, a common (yet ineffective) way to deal with dogs, a problem we have already seen in Bhaktapur, Chitwan and 
