Giant panda bears are a symbol of China
(Mirror Daily, United States) News of species being added to the endangered animal list seems to overwhelm scientists. Among all the bad news, there is a good one too. There is a change in the status of giant panda bears, as they are out of danger. Researchers are glad that their efforts have not been in vain.
Panda bears are one of the cutest creatures in the animal kingdom, according to every person who gets to see them in real life or pictures and videos. Caretakers tend to agree, as the animals are often playful and kind, be they cubs or adults.
Although the early 2000s were critical years for giant panda bears, they are now safe. The efforts of researchers and animal protection specialists helped pandas regain their balance regarding population numbers. Recent statistics show that the number of panda bears increased by seventeen percent in ten years, between 2004 and 2014.
Two years ago, almost two thousand giant panda bears were living in China, which is their origin country. Researchers hope that new investigations will prove then that the population reached more than two thousand individuals.
The decline of panda bears population started to alarm authorities more than forty years ago. The cause of the disappearance of the animals was hunting. People would trade the black and white panda skins for significant amounts of money. In a first attempt to rescue the animals, officials banned the practice in 1980.
When panda hunting was flourishing, there were less than three hundred panda individuals left in the world.
Additional measures from Chinese authorities helped the giant panda bears. The first reservation dedicated to the animals was built in 1992. Ever since sixty-six more reserves have been built. They host more than half of the panda population in the country.
International zoos and animal health centers helped the authorities. Further research was done in the area, and more shelters were created for the animals. At the same time, the government took care of the natural habitat and started reforestation projects.
All the societies and the community members who were part of the rescue plans are proud that their hard work resulted in the saving of the animals. According to specialists involved in the project, only good things can come out when researchers and governments take action together.
Image courtesy of: Wikipedia