Question: On which of the following date International Red Panda Day was observed in 2021?
a) September 10
b) September 18
c) September 20
d) August 18
Answer: (c)
Related Facts:-
- On 18 September 2021 International Red Panda Day was observed all over the world.
- It should be noted that International Red Panda Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of September every year and it falls on September 18 in 2021.
- This day for Red Panda is observed with the aim to raise public awareness and support for red panda conservation issues.
- International Red Panda Day is dedicated to the red pandas—a mammal species native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China.
- Red pandas are facing the threat of extinction due to poaching, habitat destruction, and fragmentation, and inbreeding depression.
- The exact number of individuals of the species that exist in the wild is not known today.
- Some estimates report that the number of Red Pandas to be as low as 10,000 mature individuals; therefore the IUCN List classifies it as an ‘endangered species.
- History
- International Red Panda Day was launched by the Red Panda Network in 2010.
- The first international Red Panda day was celebrated on 18th September 2010.
- Discovered about 50 years before giant pandas, red pandas are the only species left in the Ailuridae family.
- Red Pandas are very lovely and quite in nature and basically reside in the Eastern Himalayas region of the world. This includes places like China, Nepal, and Bhutan.
- Threat of extinction:
- Like hundreds of other animals Unfortunately, Red Pandas also facing the threat of extinction.
- Human activities have caused such environmental degradation those red pandas that reside in bamboo trees, don’t find any trees they can nest in.
- The activities that have threatened the survival of this species are poaching, habitat destruction, and trafficking; fur of this animal is also trafficked to produce hats and clothing.
- Due to these factors, red pandas are legally protected in India, Bhutan, China, Nepal, and Myanmar.
- Another report that focuses on the conservation of animals highlighted the problem of decreasing red pandas to be “poor conservation awareness and weak law enforcement.”
- Red Panda: Facts-
- It should be noted that despite having similar names, red pandas and giant pandas are not closely related.
- Red pandas actually have close resemblance with bears, raccoons, and skunks.
- They are also called the lesser panda, red cat-bear, and red bear-cat.
By – Rajesh Tripathi
Links:-
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/international-red-panda-day-third-saturday-in-september/