The red panda weighed just 2.5 kg when it was brought to zoo six months ago. Now, it is over 5 kg. Considering its height, the red panda should not weigh more than is 4 kg.[break]
“It was in a critical condition when we spotted. After coming here, its health improved and it gradually gained weight. It has gained so much that now we are planning to cut its diet,” said Dr Balkrishna Giri, who oversees animal´s health in the zoo. “Panda is a kind of animal that needs excessive exercise. But here, we don´t have enough space.”
The panda was handed over to the zoo 6 months by the district forest office at Churchure VDC-2 in Ramechhap district. As the climate in Kathmandu was still hot for the panda which thrive in the Himalaya, the zoo has kept it in air-conditioned room. Visitors have not been allowed to see the panda so far.
“Separate house for panda is being set up. Hopefully, it will be completed by Tihar,” said veterinary assistant at the zoo Radhakrishna Gharti. He added that the panda´s health would definitely improve after she is shifted there. “Currently, she does not have the space to jump and play around. The house being made for her is far more suitable for her,” he added.
After the panda is shifted to the new house, visitors would be allowed to see her. This is second red panda in the zoo. The last one, also a female, died in 1989.
In Nepal, pandas are found in Langtang National Park, Annapurna Conservation Area, Sagarmatha National Park, Manaslu Conservation Area, Makalu Barun National Park and Kanchanjunga Conservation Area. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports that over 75 percent of potential red panda habitat still falls outside protected areas. A study has shown that there 40 red pandas in Gaurishankar conservation site alone, though, their number nationwide is not known.
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