Tawam

The teddy bear ---Koala bears of Australia are extremely cute to look at . They arouse tender and protective feelings even in children . Their favourite toy being the cuddly teddy.

I was pleasantly surprised to know that such cute animals are also inhabiting the forests of India. In the wilds of the state of Arunachal pradesh.

The Red Panda is a small bear with a red coat . It looks as cute as a Koala or a teddy bear.It is arboreal and native of the temperate forests of Himalayas. It mainly feeds on bamboo.It makes a twittering sound, is solitary and preyed upon by the snow leopard. It is a distant cousin of the giant panda .

The Red Panda is found in the forests of Sikkhim, Arunachal pradesh and Assam. It is the state animal of Sikkhim and goes by the name Tawam.

It is classified as vulnerable by IUCN.

In the high altitude villages of Arunachal Pradesh , groups of villages come together to protect Tawam and preserve its habitats.