Improved Trapping and Handling of an Arboreal, Montane Mammal: Red Panda Ailurus fulgens.

Damber Bista,Ang Phuri Sherpa,Greg S Baxter,Sonam Tashi Lama,Peter John Murray,Purushotam Pandey,Haribhadra Acharya,Janno Weerman,Madhuri Karki Thapa,Nicholas J Hudson

doi:10.3390/ani11040921

Abstract

Simple SummaryCapture and handling is essential to study some biological and ecological properties of free-ranging animals. However, capturing an arboreal and cryptic species such as the red panda is challenging due to the difficult terrain, their elusive nature, and potential risks to human and animal safety. We developed and successfully tested a protocol for tracking, capture, immobilization, and handling of red pandas. This method could also be used, with some modifications, for other arboreal species. This study extends the known range of body weight and length of free-ranging red pandas. We also report some new morphometric data that could serve as a guide for field identification.It is sometimes essential to have an animal in the hand to study some of their ecological and biological characteristics. However, capturing a solitary, cryptic, elusive arboreal species such as the red panda in the wild is challenging. We developed and successfully tested a protocol for tracking, trapping, immobilization, and handling of red pandas in the wild in eastern Nepal. We established a red panda sighting rate of 0.89 panda/day with a capture success rate of 0.6. We trapped and collared one animal in 3.7 days. On average, we took nearly 136 (range 50–317) min to capture an animal after spotting it. Further processing was completed in 38.5 (21–70) min. Before capture, we found it difficult to recognize the sex of the red panda and to differentiate sub-adults above six months from adults. However, body weight, body length, tail length, shoulder height, and chest girth can be used for diagnosis, as these attributes are smaller in sub-adults. Our method is a welfare-friendly way of trapping and handling wild red pandas. We report new morphometric data that could serve as a guide for field identification.

Highlights

Capture and handling of live animals is essential to study aspects of their biology and ecology in the field
This study provides new morphometric data that serve as a guide for field identification and provides baseline data for future studies on wild red pandas
Our results were no doubt enhanced by the knowledge and participation of local guides who take tourists to see wild red pandas in this area and are familiar with their habits

Summary

Introduction

Capture and handling of live animals is essential to study aspects of their biology and ecology in the field. Improper capture methods, such as leg snares, can have long-term adverse effects on study animals [1]. The welfare of study animals and human safety are major concerns in animal capture and handling [2,3]. In this regard, capturing a solitary free-ranging arboreal mammal in a remote, montane landscape such as the temperate Himalayan forests is challenging. Welfare-friendly protocol developed for capturing and handling the arboreal red panda (Ailurus fulgens), adapted from previous work on koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) [4]. We present some red panda morphometric data to aid differentiation of these animals into age and sex classes

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