This is with reference to the news story “Khotang locals step in to conserve red panda” (THT, Aug. 8, Page 5). It is always good to hear such hopeful stories. Hats off to the Khotang locals for taking

this initiative! There is no confidential scientific research made so far to confirm the exact number of red pandas in the country. The population of red pandas is dwindling.

According to Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA), there were around 317 individuals in confirmed habitats and 582 individuals in potential habitats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2011, has classified Red Panda as an elusive animal. Nepal National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973 clearly mentions that killing or capturing a red panda dead or alive will be fined up to Rs 75,000 or jail sentence for 1-10 years or both. There are dozens of organizations working to save habitats of this bamboo-eating animal. Despite these legal provisions habitats of red pandas are on the verge of extinction. The population of a few hundred pandas are recorded in the protected areas of the Sagarmatha National Park, Langtang National Park, Rara National Park, Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Manaslu Conservation, Annapurna Conservation Area, Appi Nampa Conservation Area and Mugu, Panchthar, Illam, Taplejung, Khotang and other mountain districts where Malingo trees are found. The study shows that the red pandas are really under human threat as the huge potential habitats lie outside the protected areas. The compelling need of the time is to implement the strict punitive measures against wrongdoers, restore their habitats, take them under the protected areas and halt their poaching. Furthermore, the government should plan for conducting scientific research on their population along with a vision of making them a tourism destination.

Som Nath Ghimire, Kawasoti

Passport

Recently Nepal has started issuing passports to sexual minorities, which means the third sex or LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-sexual and Inter-sexual). The country has added a third gender category in the passports. Now third-gender people will find it easy to travel from Nepal to some countries including neighbouring India. The passport is issued to the sexual minorities under “O” category.

By doing this, Nepal has joined a handful of countries such as Australia and New Zealand issuing such passports. Both these countries issue passports to sexual minorities with a gender sign ‘’X’’. People who were lobbying for getting such passport have expressed their happiness and thanked the government for making this legal arrangement. But the “O” category passport can be issued only to those people who have already obtained the Nepali citizenship certificate under category of “third gender” or “sexual minority”.

Pratik Shrestha, Kathmandu,