Question

According to the IUCN Red List, what is the status of Red Panda(Ailurus fulgens)?
(a) Critically endangered
(b) Endangered species
(c) Vulnerable species
(d) Extinct species

Answer 1

Hint: A red list is published by IUCN giving the details of all the species whose population has been declining at an alarming level due to multiple factors. Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) thrives in the deciduous forests of northern India.

Complete step by step answer:
IUCN publishes a Red List which is a catalog of taxa facing a risk of extinction. It provides the identification and documentation of endangered species. The Red List has been in use for almost 30 years followed by countries worldwide to preserve their flora and fauna. An endangered species is the one considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the near future. According to the latest data published by IUCN, Red Panda is among the endangered species.
So, the correct answer is ‘(b) Endangered animals.’

Additional Information:
- IUCN is the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The main aim of IUCN is to promote and support the conservation of biodiversity. It publishes the Red List which includes the following categories- Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable.
- It also suggests conservation techniques to preserve biodiversity in a particular area.
- Red panda is an arboreal mammal with a characteristic reddish- brown fur. It can be found in the deciduous forests of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Meghalaya, and in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. These are also found in the mountainous regions of China and Myanmar.
- It is also conferred as a state animal of Sikkim. The Government of India has also listed them as an endangered species under the schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972.

Note:
- The decline of the red panda has been due to the fragmentation and degradation of their habitat due to excessive deforestation.
- Illegal hunting or poaching for the fur trade or their meat is also one of the reasons for their population decline.