25 May, 2022

Pandas, (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) also known as “panda bear” a bear like mammal inhabiting bamboo forests in the mountains of southwest China. Pandas are considered as national treasure in China. Panda bear also has a special significance for WWF because it has been a logo of WWF since 1961.

Its body is coated with black and white fur which gives it a captivating appearance. A newborn panda is about 1/900th the size of its mother. Female panda can grow up to 200 pounds while males can grow approximately 300 pounds. Their thick hazy coat helps to keep themselves warm in their cool surroundings.

Current Conservation Status of Pandas:

Giant panda and red panda are only two species of pandas present in the world. Pandas are highly vulnerable towards extinction due to habitat destruction and lack of their food reserves. Conservation of pandas is necessary because every species possess its own specific genetic makeup and characteristics with the extinction of the pandas species one genetic variety would be reduced from this world. There are only 1864 pandas remains in wild out of which 1114 are present in China. Giant panda was under the category of endangered species but in September, 2016 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has reduced the conservation status of giant panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable”.

Factors Contributing to the pandas Population Decline:

Climate change is one of the most important factor contributing towards decline in pandas population. Habitat destruction and loss due to climate change causes decline in pandas population. Moreover, climate change also changes the availability of food reserves, bamboo is a main food of pandas and bamboo species are declining as a result of climate change and human activities. Habitat destruction causes inbreeding depression among the species, as a result of inbreeding depression no mating takes place and no more offspring are produced. Parasitic infections caused by several nematodes can significantly increase the mortality rates in pandas resulting in their population decline.

Historic and Current Efforts to Stop the Decline in Pandas Population:

Chinese government is working from several decades to conserve the giant pandas species. Their continuous conservation efforts upgraded the status of giant pandas from endangered to vulnerable species. In past they work on the enhancement of bamboo’s cultivation and reduce the human influence in natural areas.

Recently, Chinese government has made different adaptive management efforts in order to conserve the panda species in wild in this regard they made 67 protected areas and 13 natural reserve areas for pandas conservation. Habitat destruction and loss are major drivers of decline in pandas species, efforts have been made to identify the core areas of habitat loss and prioritize the protection and restoration of these areas.

Monitoring Data on the Panda Species:

For effective conservation and management of species within a specific area monitoring programs are very important. This system relies on the different partnership agencies, universities, international organizations and works on the current protected areas, observes the patrolling activities and availability of funds to support field staff. International organizations and universities provides basic training to assist the staff for data analysis. China introduced forest policies and increase the number of protected areas to minimize deforestation and habitat loss. Through long term monitoring it is resulted that live stocks mainly horses causes significant decline in bamboo biomass, livestock diminishes the pandas habitat by 34%. Forest policies suggests ban of livestock from the habitat preferred by pandas. In Sichuan Province of China trapping camera based monitoring system track the population abundance of giant pandas and other terrestrial mammals. Statistical analysis are conducted to monitor the effect of anthropogenic activities on captive breeding programs. GPS tracking system is used in detailed habitat surveys for better understanding of habitat selection strategies.

Effectiveness of Current Management Efforts:

Although China’s protected areas system requires much improvements but they are working effectively overtime for better habitat conservation containing more pandas. Protected areas and natural reserves are considered as backbone of species conservation, different agencies and international organizations working for the conservation and maintenance of wild species at local level. Monitoring system provides information about current status of species and the problems they are facing in their natural habitat, forest policies including ban of livestock and humans activities have minimize habitat destruction and reduce the inbreeding depression among the species which in turn increase their number.

Strategies to Mitigate the Decline in Panda species:

There are several strategies to mitigate the decline in pandas:

Lowering the Cutting of Bamboo Plant:

Bamboo trees are cut down to make paper which destroy the wild habitat and food resource of pandas. Cultivation of more bamboo trees and recycling of paper products protect the pandas species from extinction.

Establishment of more Protected Areas:

Protected areas are free from human and livestock influence, establishment of more protected areas with more natural resources proves to be helpful in conservation of pandas.

Captive Breeding Programs:

Some species are endangered in wild conditions and brought in captivity. In captive breeding organisms are reproduced under artificial settings away from their natural habitat in zoos, aquaria, farms and botanical gardens etc. These areas are filled with all resources under intensive human care. Establishing captive breeding areas causes reduction in declining rate of pandas.

Reduce Inbreeding Depression:

Human activities like hunting, agriculture, logging and their continuous influence in natural habitat causes in breeding depression in animals as a consequence of which they are failed to find their possible mates. Inbreeding depression is a leading cause of decline in many wild species. Human activities should be minimized in natural areas in order to conserve and maintain pandas and other wild animals.

Rules and Laws for Conservation:

Conservation of species is carried out by creating and maintaining biodiversity laws at local and international levels. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) is an international agreement between different governments that controls the trade of endangered species specimens for their effective conservation. Minimizing illegal trade of pandas proves to be most effective in their successful conservation.

Public Awareness:

Creating awareness among the society with respect to biodiversity loss and importance is very necessary for persistent conservation. Public awareness can be promoted through education and different seminars at local and regional level.

Economic and Social impacts of the Pandas Species Decline:

Economically pandas have only little importance, their decline does not affect economically as much, bamboo is used in making mini furniture, wooden railings and paper production pandas helps in seed dispersion and increase their production.

Panda is very cute animal, its soft black and white fur gives it a very attractive appearance. Panda is important socially, because of its natural attraction it promotes tourism people visit the natural areas to see this charming animal. Moreover, panda’s habitat provides beneficial services for mankind like fuel, medicines and bamboo pickle etc. We should protect panda once this amusing animal is extinct it cannot be replaced.

Future Assessment of Panda species:

Number of giant pandas is slowly increasing as an outcome of emergent efforts of China in September,2016 pandas become a worldwide sign of conservation success, but the past threats including over hunting, habitat fragmentation and loss are still present. Conservation practices should be continued for preservation of pandas at a constant rate otherwise in future this species once more will become endangered towards extinction.

Thank you for Reading ❤️......