Tag: panda

  • Giant pandas no longer endangered, says China

    Giant pandas no longer endangered, says China

    Giant pandas are no longer endangered, but they are still vulnerable, Chinese officials have said after years of conservation efforts as their number in the wild has reached 1,800.

    As per reports, the country succeeded in saving its iconic animal through its long-term conservation efforts, including the expansion of habitats.

    The latest classification upgrade “reflects their improved living conditions and China’s efforts in keeping their habitats integrated”, said Cui Shuhong, head of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment’s Department of Nature and Ecology Conservation at a news conference.

    The news comes years after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had already removed the animal from its endangered species list and re-labeled it as “vulnerable” in 2016.

    However, Chinese officials at that time did not consider the progress, saying that it could make people believe that conservation efforts could be relaxed.

    This week’s announcement by China’s environmental ministry is the first time the animal’s status was changed on its endangered species list.

    Experts have said that the success is mainly due to Chinese efforts to recreate and repopulate bamboo forests. Bamboo makes up 99 per cent of their diet, without which they are likely to starve.

    Zoos have also attempted to increase numbers via captive breeding methods.

  • Canada’s Calgary Zoo to return two pandas to China due to shortage of bamboo

    Canada’s Calgary Zoo to return two pandas to China due to shortage of bamboo

    The Calgary Zoo in Canada is sending two giant pandas back to China due to a shortage of bamboo. A lack of flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused issues with shipments of high-quality bamboo imported from China, forcing the zoo to make the difficult decision.

    “When you’re looking after the welfare of animals, you need to put the politics and business aside,” said Calgary Zoo president Dr Clement Lanthier. “It is too much of a risk for the health and welfare of (the pandas).”

    Er Shun and Da Mao have been in Calgary since March of 2018 and were expected to remain through 2024 as part of a 10-year agreement between Canada and China. The pair spent their first five years at the Toronto Zoo.

    The facility had originally been importing bamboo from China to Calgary directly but when those flights were cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis, they began receiving the bamboo via Toronto. However, when flights from China to Toronto were scaled back, it affected the regularity of their shipments. Delivery times were also slower than normal causing poor quality bamboo.

    They began bringing bamboo in from the United States but Er Shun and Da Mao refused to eat it, preferring the taste of Chinese bamboo instead.

    According to Dr Doug Whiteside, a senior veterinarian at The Calgary Zoo, this can happen because giant pandas have a specific taste and smell for bamboo and are selective eaters.