On
Monday 4th September we were treated to the delightful news that Giant
Pandas are no longer considered to be endangered animals, something that
even now a couple of days later, is still sinking in with many people
around the world. In the latest report by the IUCN (The International
Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) they have found
that population numbers of the beautiful Giant Panda bears have risen
from 1,596 adults to 1,864 in 2014, which is the result of extensive
work by the Chinese government and international organisations to
enforce poaching bans and expand the areas of protected forest reserves
that are the Giant Pandas natural habitats.Giant Pandas are natively
found in the mountainous regions of central and western China where they
live peacefully grazing in the bamboo forests. They are one of the most
famous and easily identifiable animals in the world and are unique
among bears as they do not hibernate; have very small babies at birth
(weighing a tiny 100g which is roughly the same as an average sized
mouse); and survive on a diet that is almost entirely vegetarian. Since
their discovery in 1869 by a French naturalist the Giant Panda has
fascinated the western world and become a global symbol for
conservation.
In 1961 the Giant Panda became the logo and symbol
for the World Wildlife Trust (WWF) when the company formed, an act that
was inspired by the arrival of a Giant Panda named Chi-Chi at London Zoo
in the same year. Since 1980, WWF has worked closely with the Chinese
government to do more to protect their natural environment after their
population numbers reached a record low of less than 1,000 individuals,
thanks to the poaching of them for their pretty pelts and deforestation
causing the loss and fragmentation of their forest homes.
Since
the first Giant Panda reserve was established at the Wolong National
Nature Reserve in 1980, China has cracked down on the trading of their
skins and gradually expanded the protected forest areas to now cover
1,400 square kilometres. The current population is known to be spread
across 20 pockets of bamboo forest, much of which is now protected by
Chinese law which has been a major factor in helping the populations of
Giant Pandas to grow since the 1980s.
Giant Pandas have been the
national animal of China for a very long time and are highly regarded by
the Chinese people who see them as a symbol of peace. Despite the
recent growth in their population numbers which has led to them now
being listed as Vulnerable rather than Endangered, the Chinese
government and international groups have come under criticism by some
who question whether the vast amount of money and resources that have
been put into protecting Giant Pandas in the wild and into breeding
programmes, could have been better spent spread across helping other
animal species facing extinction.
No matter your opinion on this
we can all agree that what has been done to pull this beautiful animal
further from extinction in the wild is truly remarkable and really
showcases the effectiveness of habitat conservation, reproduction
schemes and clamping down on poaching to help to save a species.
"This
is a cause for celebration and proves that a united approach can bring a
substantial difference to threatened species, even at a time of great
economic growth in China." Glyn Davies, executive director of global programmes at WWF-UK.
