According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the giant panda was listed as endangered in 1990. Their population has since declined by 52%. There are now fewer than 2,000 pandas left in the wild, with an estimated 1,864 living in China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces.
In captivity across the world, there are more than 600 giant pandas. China’s conservation program and breeding centers made this possible. In 2020, 44 baby pandas were born and monitored. At birth, the panda cubs are tiny and blind, making them helpless and at risk of dying. But now, lots of panda cubs have survived due to advanced technology in breeding centers.
As of 2013, there were over 12 pandas in zoos across the US. Currently, only four zoos have giant pandas. These facilities help pandas reproduce through their breeding programs.
According to the IUCN, giant pandas are considered “vulnerable,” between “near threatened” and “endangered.” Why is this usually solitary creature, which feeds on bamboo, so threatened?
Due to habitat loss and fragmentation, the survival of giant pandas remains seriously threatened. There are factors that negatively impact panda populations. The Chinese government set up 13 panda nature reserve areas to protect habitats. The fields used for farming have been left as forests to grow back over time. Things are getting better for trees and bamboo, and the habitat is recovering.
In the 1970s, there were only about 1,000 giant pandas left. Without bamboo, which is 99% of their diet, the animals likely starve. While other areas may suit bamboo growth, they tend to be outside current panda reserves.
Today 1,800 giant pandas live in the wild. Officials credit conservation initiatives in recent years. But pandas remain scattered and vulnerable. Much of their habitat is threatened by infrastructure projects.
Why is a giant panda not a bear?
The giant panda is a bear. It belongs to the bear family Ursidae. However, it has differences from other bears. For example, pandas are great climbers, whereas bears are not. Besides, they have different eating habits. Pandas mostly eat bamboo while other bears eat almost anything.
In 1869, a French missionary named Pere Armand David first described the giant panda to Westerners. He likened it to a bear so used the Latin word for bear, ursus, in naming it. This instinct is understandable as the giant panda looks similar to a bear.
For decades, there was debate whether pandas were bears or related to raccoons. However, molecular studies show giant pandas are true bears. Some habits still distinguish pandas from other bears though.
There are fewer than 1,900 giant pandas left in the wild. Protecting them requires understanding why they are endangered. Reasons include climate change, deforestation, hunting and human encroachment into panda habitats.
The name panda comes from the Chinese word for bear “xiongmao,” meaning “bear cat.” Pandas have physical traits resembling both bears and cats. The giant panda and red panda both eat bamboo but are not closely related. Giant pandas are bears, but red pandas are the only members of their family Ailuridae.
Why are giant pandas almost extinct?
The biggest reason pandas face endangerment is deforestation by humans. This causes permanent habitat loss. Pandas used to roam forests in Laos, Burma, Vietnam and China. Now they only live in some parts of China, in far fewer numbers. Although panda numbers grew 17%, they still risk extinction. Why? Let’s explore.
Pandas edge towards extinction due to:
Loss of habitat. Deforestation destroys panda habitats. Poaching and habitat loss for farms and tourism threaten pandas. They are “vulnerable” to extinction.
Pandas are unique. They have special black and white fur. And they are playful and awe-inspiringly large. Will future generations see pandas? Their endangered status threatens that. Is natural selection or humans to blame?
Pandas don’t reproduce well. They also face poaching and habitat destruction. Pandas face many dangers. Zoos try to prevent their extinction with breeding programs.
How big was the giant panda?
Giant pandas grow to 27 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder. They are 4 to 5 feet long and can weigh up to 275 lbs. Their size is similar to an American black bear. The giant panda is a bear species native to China. It has a bold black-and-white coat and rotund body.
The panda can reach up to 1.5m (5 feet) long and 90cm (3 feet) tall. Male pandas weigh up to 100 kilograms. Females are generally smaller.
The average body length of giant pandas is 3 to 6 feet. Their body mass is 180 to 265 lbs.
Giant pandas stand 60 to 90 cm tall at the shoulder on all four legs. Their length reaches up to 1.8 metres.
Many natural reserves now protect pandas. The Wolong National Nature Reserve in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province in China, is the most famous. It has been very successful in protecting pandas.
Although pandas live mostly in Tibet, the Chinese government calls them a national treasure. Pandas’ legs, shoulders, eyes, ears and nose are black while the rest of the body is white. This coloration camouflages pandas in forests.
Pandas must eat up to 38kg of bamboo daily, giving rise to their name “bamboo bear.” Habitat loss has been the main threat to pandas. Panda forests were cleared for farming and the timber trade.