Project Punde Kundo:

Although it is one of the true flagship species of Nepal, the endangered red panda remains largely unprotected within the country and faces grave threats to its habitat and future survival. Project Punde Kundo’s goal is to foster lasting local stewardship of red pandas in the Ilam, Panchthar and Taplejung districts of eastern Nepal. This will be accomplished through community-based monitoring, education and forest management. In protecting red panda, the efforts of our team of scientists, local and district government officials, and local Nepalese people and community-based organizations will also provide for the continued preservation of critical habitat for other endangered and threatened Eastern Himalayan species. These include the clouded leopard, Asiatic black bear, and numerous bird and plant species. The Red Panda Project’s three years of experience in Ilam and Panchthar and truly grass-roots approach demonstrate that Project Punde Kundo successfully delivers key conservation outcomes.