The Red panda is an Endangered species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is also listed as a protected mammal by Nepal's National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973. The present study was conducted in the Rara National Park (RNP), in mid-western Nepal (the Himalayas of Karnali Region), to explore the current distributional status and conservation of the red panda between September to December, 2023, we conducted visual surveys along line transects (n= 13) to record species presence, measured habitat variables (vegetation types, waterholes, slopes/aspects, etc.) in 10x10 m2 quadrate around the species sign to characterize habitat associations, and interviewed 13 key informants to assess the conservation threats. We recorded 5 red panda signs, mostly fecal pellets, within an encounter rate of 1 sign per km. The majority of signs were associated with upper temperate mixed broad-leaf forest with bamboo cover >20%, tree stump presence, fallen logs of birch trees. The Himalayan Birch Betula utilis and Oak Quercus semecarpifolia are the two most common tree species near red panda signs. The distribution ranged from 2988 m to 3291 meters above mean sea level. The interview with key informants revealed that the main conservation threats to red pandas include excessive livestock grazing and the unsustainable extraction of bamboo by local communities. Overall, our results corroborate the presence of red pandas in this national park and highlight the immediate need for further research on its population abundance and conservation actions to conserve its prime habitat.
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