First photographic evidence of predation on endangered Red Panda Ailurus fulgens by vulnerable Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus from Singalila National Park, West Bengal, India

Natural predation where rarity meets rarity raises an important conservation paradox: when one threatened species feeds on another and conservation decisions can be challenging. Here we present a natural history observation of such an interaction. During a camera-trapping survey in Singalila National Park, West Bengal, India, we documented a rare predation event involving an Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus and a Red Panda Ailurus fulgens. A sequence of images captured a Red Panda ascending a resting tree Betula utilis on 11 February 2024. On 15 February 2024, the same camera recorded an Asiatic Black Bear approaching the site, climbing the tree, and subsequently descending with a Red Panda in its mouth. Predator-prey interactions involving Red Pandas are poorly documented, with most existing information anecdotal. The present record provides rare empirical evidence of such an interaction and contributes to unknown facts of predation ecology of Asiatic Black Bear and Red Panda. The present work underscores the importance of systematic camera trapping for documenting rare ecological interactions and for improving baseline knowledge for conservation planning.