Giant Panda Conservation Status in China

Construction of nature reserves

In 1963, Chinese government established nature reserves for panda. From 1992 to 2002, China perfected the construction and management of 13 existing nature reserves; set up 14 new nature reserves and 17 panda protection corridors. During four decades, China has been strengthening the construction of nature reserves. At the end of 2010, there were 58 nature reserve for giant panda, protecting more than 53% of the panda habitat area and more than 70% of the wild panda population.

Carrying out panda rescue project

On the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, due to the large area of bamboo flowering, pandas were suffering a serious situation to survive. The governments of Sichuan, Shan-xi and Gansu provinces set up panda rescue organization, establishing more than 60 professional protective tissues, such as patrol, panda rescue teams, monitoring stations and asylums, over thousand professional staffs worked for panda rescue project. Meanwhile, under the strong support of community and international organizations, there was an upsurge of "panda rescue”. According to incomplete statistics, from 1983 to the end of 2010, 297 pandas have been rescued in China; it means the project of panda rescue is a success.

Ex-situ conservation

Ex-situ conservation is a assist way to panda rescue. Firstly, base on wild giant panda, enlarging the captive population; secondly, after the captive population reaches the required number, timely to carry out “captive individuals survive in the wild” program, to create the positive interaction between ex-situ conservation and nature reserves. Protect nature reserve is primary task, and the success of ex-situ conservation will give a strong promotion to nature reserves.

Time to Rescue Giant Panda

Is it necessary to have panda rescue activities?

Yes, giant pandas are one of the most precious creatures in the world; they were classified as an endangered species in the 1980s, and are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals.

It's said that the current estimate of panda is less than 1,600 in the wild, and are approximately 200 in captivity. The small number of population will make against breeding and survival. Rescue their habitat and food source is critical. In addition, continued research on reducing digestive illness and perfecting breeding success is an important part in panda rescue.

What did China do to rescue them?

In the 1940’s, the Chinese government began conservation efforts to rescue this endangered animal.

In 1963, the China Research & Conservation Center for the Giant Pandas at Wolong Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, was established, aiming to launch panda protection project.

After 1989，Chinese government began a global panda protection program.2 pandas lease to foreign zoo for 10 years to have a research about how to do panda rescue on breeding, habitat, food. Recently, there are 2 pandas went abroad to France to have the international cooperation.

Will the panda rescue success?

The future of the rare animal is linked to weather the conservation efforts is aggressive, captive breeding programs is successful and it needs a sustainable habitat as well. Individuals in China have a high understanding of panda rescue, can understand that panda is their “National Treasure” and panda protection program is necessary, and they often bring sick or injured pandas to the reserves for treatment.

What can we do to protect panda?

There are various ways to do panda rescue:

l    Share your passion and love of pandas. Such as send post cards with some panda protection story to friends and family telling them you care about the pandas and that they are endangered, how important for panda protection.

l To become a member of ' panda rescue ' program. You can register on line; in the website you can share your experience of panda protection to e-friends. Also there are all levels of panda rescue activities which can be choose.

l To adopt a panda through panda protection organization.

l Subscribes to panda protection .You can send cash or do remittance; all the funds will be used for pandas rescue.

l Learn more knowledge of pandas then start a panda protection club at your school, community or office.

Global Recruitment: "Panda Volunteer"

    
    With the success of panda breeding, the step of pandas backing to nature is approaching. August 16, 2011, Chengdu, there was a global recruitment for the six "Panda Volunteer".

Panda volunteer should love animals, enthusiastic about environment, have a sense of social responsibility, who has a personal charm, and they will get a chance for "zero distance" contact with Pandas from morning till evening for a month to see how panda breeding, eating ,playing. Organizers said that, this is a volunteer nature of the job, but "Panda volunteer" will get $ 1,000 bonus per person.

The global activities is hosted by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, aimed at improving the people's understanding of protecting species and their natural habitats , getting accurate knowledge for panda breeding, so that more and more people will have a better acceptance about the  panda protection.

Online users can use "Panda volunteer" game to get a job on panda caring and panda breeding to have a fore-experience and upload a personal application to participate, after the first round of selection, 12 people will go to Chengdu to participate in field training and testing, and ultimately 6 of them will become "Panda volunteer".

Wu Honglin, 33-year-old, base veterinary .She is one of the 'panda volunteer ', but the difference from other short-term ' panda volunteer ' is Wu entering the base in 2001, was going through on the job for more than 10 years.

She came here for loving pandas, and she said ' Though they are humans' friends, wild dictates, they are likely to attack humans. However, when they are sick, under your carefully accompanying, they will be very obedient because they know you're good for them.'

Wu's daily work at base is responsible for  panda breeding, caring and provision of medical services. To be a panda volunteer is not easy, accordance with the regulations, she should work for 8 hours a day, but in fact, she works for more than 10 hours per day. When it come to the panda breeding season or panda gets sick, she will spend 24 hours to accompany the panda around and can not leave. The duration for panda breeding is very short ,but preparation will be tough and complex .She said the most happy thing is to see the panda give birth to a baby and get rid of sickness.' I feel like my own kids are sick when pandas become sick and really worry about them. Besides, I hope with our effort for panda breeding, the population of them can be increased smoothly.

Looking ahead, Wu said she is preparing to continue her ' panda volunteer ' job in panda breeding field, making contributions for panda conservation as well. Technically, the artificial propagation of the panda is not a problem. In the future, she will be based on the characteristics of the increasing population of panda, taking more and targeted care of them.