The shy and reclusive red panda faces the camera once again, having won 11 international awards in its very first screen appearance.

This time, the endangered species will appear in a yet-to-be-named short film by the Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT) that aims to showcase north Bengal and Sikkim’s rare asset in front of a global audience.

“Our film is about the community’s role in red panda conservation,” Ajoy Roy, the director, said about the film, which is in the post-production stage. “ACT is promoting the region surrounding the red panda habitat as a separate tourism circuit. The aim is to help the local people find alternative revenue-generation sources so that they are motivated in conserving the habitat.”

About four years ago, the Bedi twins — Ajay and Vijay — were the first to make a documentary film, Cherub of the Mist, on the red pandas of the region. The film was aired on Animal Planet and created history of sorts by bagging 11 international awards, including the Green Oscar.

Roy has shot the docile, cuddly animal at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling, which runs Asia’s only red panda conservation project through captive breeding. Over the years, several zoo-bred red pandas have been released into the wild.

The 15-minute film will be screened worldwide, Roy said, after it is premiered at Hee in West Sikkim, where parts of it were shot. The film also focuses on the other two major red panda habitats: Singalila Wildlife Sanctuary and Neora Valley National Park.

“The relationship between the community and the animal — be it the way they are taken care of at the zoo or the way people have made small ‘homes’ on trees for the red pandas — is the main highlight of the film,” Roy said.

“We will distribute DVDs of our film at the annual Banga Sammelan that will be held in Canada in July,” the film-maker said. “We will also give copies to NGOs and tourism agencies all over India so that we are able to reach out to a lot of people.”

by Anuradha Sharma - The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) - 23. April 2008
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080423/jsp/siliguri/story_9156288.jsp

SHAN International Camp 2008 In Hee-Bermiok Sikkim

SHAN, the Sikkim Heritage Adventure Nature International Camp 2008 is being held in May 2008. The first camp will take place from 06th to 11th May, 2008, the second camp from 12th to 17th May.

It is being organized in coincidence with the only ‘Heritage Festival’ of East Himalaya. The venue being dominated by the adjoining Barshey Rhododendron Sanctuary and the Limboo community, this is a phantastic opportunity for authentic local natural and cultural experience. The stunning views of the Mt.Khangchendzonga range are more than an add-on. The season kisses the arrival of the monsoon, making the local people happy during their sowing of their favourite crop, rice.

The participants will be introduced to Himalayan Nature & Environment, Adventure activities, Cultural diversity of the Sikkim Himalaya & Local livelihood orientation.

The festival is jointly organized by Help Tourism and Hee-Bermiok Tourism Development and Heritage Conservation Society, and supported by: ACT-Association for Conservation and Tourism and Chautare.

Download the SHAN Festival Poster plus Information (1,3 MB, pdf)