Data from: Red panda fine-scale habitat selection along a Central Himalayan longitudinal gradient

Red panda Ailurus fulgens, an endangered habitat specialist, inhabits a
narrow distribution range in bamboo abundance forests along mountain
slopes in the Himalaya and Hengduan Mountains. However, their habitat use
may be different in places with different longitudinal environmental
gradients, climatic regimes, and microclimate. This study aimed to
determine the habitat variables affecting red panda distribution across
different longitudinal gradients through a multivariate analysis. We
studied habitat selection patterns along the longitudinal gradient in
Nepal's Himalaya which is grouped into the eastern, central, and
western complexes. We collected data on red panda presence and habitat
variables (e.g., tree richness, canopy cover, bamboo abundance, water
availability, tree diameter, tree height) by surveys along transects
throughout the species’ potential range. We used a multimodal inference
approach with a generalized linear model to test the relative importance
of environmental variables. Although the study showed that bamboo
abundance had a major influence, habitat selection was different across
longitudinal zones. Both canopy cover and species richness were
unimportant in eastern Nepal, but their influence increased progressively
toward the west. Conversely, tree height showed a decreasing influence on
habitat selection from Eastern to Western Nepal. Red panda's habitat
selection revealed in this study corresponds to the uneven distribution of
vegetation assemblages and the dry climatic gradient along the
eastern‐western Himalayas which could be related to a need to conserve
energy and thermoregulate. This study has further highlighted the need of
importance of bamboo conservation and site‐specific conservation planning
to ensure long‐term red panda conservation.