Ever heard about Red pandas in the wild? Yes of course you have but not all of you, right? This elusive species of the bear family are hardly found in the wild, Sundarban wildlife Tourism are conducting successfully Red Panda tour from the last 5 years. Research says that there exist a fewer number of Red Panda than 10,000 across the whole world.
Red Pandas are also known as Red cat bears. They are generally found extremely lazy, attractive, and bizarre. These qualities make it look cuter. This rare species is also named Ailuridae.
The reddish-brown fur with a shaggy tail and shorter height of the Red pandas are the perfect definition of beauty. It weighs around 10 kg and has a height of only 2 feet.
The Red cat bears are found in the Himalayas (including some parts from Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Myanmar, and India). It is also visible in some parts of Southern China.
The new world is leading to a huge scale of deforestation of grasslands, forests, and bamboo jungles. Also unlike the other tree, bamboos take a longer time to grow. Since bamboo plants are considered the Red panda’s natural habitat, they are on the edge of extinction. This deforestation is a major cause to make them endangered animals.
Besides bamboo, the Red pandas also feed on small beings like insects, worms, flowers, and berries.
Finding the species of Red panda in India is not an easy thing. India includes a total of 20 such protected areas which provide shelter to this species. They mainly focus on the conservation of Red Pandas. These areas cover certain districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the upper region of West Bengal which includes Darjeeling and Kalimpong, Sikkim, and also Meghalaya. Want to know about the national parks that prevent the extinction of endangered animals? Keep on scrolling down as it is listed right below.
After doing a deep analysis, the three major national parks known to conserve the population of Red pandas are- Singalila National park, Khangchendzonga National park, and the Neora Valley National park.
The top 5 National parks that you must visit once in your life to see the very unique species of Red pandas are:-
- Singalila National park
- Neora Valley National park
- Namdapha National park
- Khangchendzonga National park
- Nokrek National park
1. Singalila National park
If you are a wildlife photographer then this national park is rated the No.1 National Park for spotting Red pandas in India. Also, a maximum number of photos of Red pandas are clicked from this park. The species is also considered very photogenic.
Located at the Singalila peak in Darjeeling of West Bengal, Singalila National park stands at an altitude of more than 7000 feet above sea level. The area also covers a span of the reserved forest of 78.6 sq km.
Although keeping in mind the nature of the Red pandas, that is, being lazy and shy, you have to do a little bit of struggle to get them clicked. The place is also very much known for its trekking route to Sandakphu. You need to trek through this path to spot them. Regular reports from the park say that it has a population of 42 Red pandas at present.
This Red Panda Expedition is home to a diversity of endangered animals including these beautiful Red pandas. Singalila has also been rated the best place in India to spot the Wild Red Panda.
Red pandas can be categorized as Nocturnal Animals. These mammals stay awake during the dark which means, they wake up at the dusk to grab some food and this continues till the dawn. These lazy species spend all of their daytime sleeping. They have a low-calorie intake and like the giant pandas, Red pandas cannot resist cellulose. The only option left for their habitat is Bamboo plants.
It is a beautiful land of an alpine valley, virgin rhododendron wildlife, and other rare species of endangered animals.
- Species to Photograph –
Besides Red pandas, the park is home to several other rare species. These include yellow-throated marten, pangolin, leopard cat, endangered Himalayan animals. It is also a natural territory that surrounds certain high-altitude beings like clouded Leopard, Himalayan black bears, normal leopards, and serows.
The Singalila National Park is also a perfect destination in the eastern Himalayas for birding tours. Your camera can find more than 120 rare types of birds here.
- Best time to visit this place –
The best time to visit this park starts from mid-September to mid-June. Since monsoons are very intense in India, the sanctuary stays closed from 16th June to 15th September.
Monthly scenery of the park –
September to November- These months bring Autumn to India. During autumn a lot of wild fruits are grown in this park which includes kiwi, strawberries, and Sarbus. Red pandas consider these fruits to be their favorite because of their amazing taste. This season also comes with a clear sky for easy birding.
December to January- This season is perfect for wildlife photographers as you may experience snowfall at it at the end of a year. The clear skies also imply a good birding tour.
February to March- This season comes with an excellent experience for the tourists. You may spot Red panda mothers with their kids in this late fall season. If you are a photographer then this could be a great emotional capture for you. Bird watching tours are also frequent during this time period.
April to Mid-May – This season of the year adds bright colors to the site. The whole scenario creates a bridal look with the appearance of Rhododendron. Bright colored flowers make the valley blossom. Flowers like Orchid, Magnolia, and likewise flowers are found here. This is the best time for bird tours.
- How to reach this destination –
The Bagdogra airport is only 100 km away from the national park. It will take around 4 to 5 hours by road. The land rover route starts from Manebhanjan, a small village at the Singalila range.
