Easily one of the most beloved creatures in existence, the giant panda celebrated a

small victory in September of 2016. The cuddly mammal was officially moved from the
IUCN’s Red List of “endangered species” to “vulnerable species” thanks to tireless
efforts of conservationists campaigning and working on their behalf.

Giant pandas first became endangered in 1990 due to excessive poaching in the 80s
and deforestation, depleting their bamboo food source. A fickle species, bamboo can
grow extensively in mountainous or barren lands, but then dies in the winter. This forces
giant pandas in those areas to relocate for their food. Farmland expansion causes
fragmentation of panda habitats, secluding the species to those locations deprived of
bamboo and other pandas. China has made several successful attempts to reforest,
although efforts such as the infamous Grain-for-Green Program have not yet proven to
be definitively effective on all environmental fronts. Since the 1940s, the Chinese
government has worked to conserve giant panda habitat and protect the wildlife within
it. Now, 67 panda reserves speckle the country, several of which breed them in captivity
and care for the sick or injured. Visitors who come to the reserves are educated about
the conservation efforts, and locals in the area also learn about how the giant panda’s
tourism draw can benefit the community. The relationship has proven to be symbiotic all
around.

According to the last census in 2014, giant pandas populations have undergone a 17%
increase since 2003, a huge conservation achievement for the species. The number of
pandas found in the wild has now reached 1,864 individuals. Furthermore, the giant
panda’s occupied habitat has increased by 11.8%, and useable habitat has increased
by 6.3% thanks to reforestation and protective measures. One factor of the dramatic
increase in population can be traced back to, surprisingly, a single male panda named
Pan Pan. At the ripe age of 31, Pan Pan passed away from cancer late last year, but
not before he fathered over 130 pandas – about 25% of all pandas currently in captivity.
While the struggle to preserve the much-loved bear has been an uphill battle for nearly
30 years, there has finally been empirical evidence documenting the progress of its
remarkable recovery. As the public’s love for the species continues to grow, so will
attempts to ensure its survival.