The red panda
Next, the enchanting red panda, roaming the dwindling forests of the eastern Himalayas. Known as the lesser panda, its survival is challenged by deforestation and illegal wildlife trade, pushing them towards the brink. The red panda is the state animal of Sikkim.
The snow leopard
The snow leopard is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is estimated to number fewer than 10,000. In India, the snow leopard is granted the highest level of protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and hunters are sentenced to imprisonment for 3–7 years.
The Himalayan griffon vulture
First is the vulture—nature’s vital cleanup crew. Facing threats from habitat loss and poisoning, these birds play a crucial role in ecological health to a degree that cannot be overstated. The Himalayan griffon vulture lives mainly in the higher regions of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau between 1,200–5,500 metres.
Lion-tailed macaque
Lastly, the lion-tailed macaque, an arboreal acrobat confined to the Western Ghats of India. Their forest homes are shrinking, leaving little room for their high-spirited antics. Their range has become increasingly isolated and fragmented by the spread of agriculture and of tea, coffee, teak and cinchona plantations.
These stories of survival and loss remind us of our profound impact on the planet, compelling us to act before it’s too late.
The lead image features a Lion-tailed macaque on a tree. (courtesy: canva)
