- In 2004, a survey counted 1,600 pandas - 40% more than were thought to exist in the 1980s.
Panda conservation success
Gift to the Earth
WWF has awarded China with two Gifts to the Earth for panda conservation work - one to the Shaanxi provincial government in 2003 for work in the Qinling Mountains and another to the Sichuan and Gansu provincial governments in 2006 for their work in Minshan Mountains.
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Halting the decline of the panda
The conservation solutions to save the species are working - and, after years of decline, panda numbers are thought to be increasing.
WWF has been working closely with the Chinese government in the Qinling and Minshan Mountains, key landscapes for the panda, and the projects implemented in these areas to save the panda are working.Panda success!
- Panda habitat is increasing with the development of new reserves and green corridors.
- Some threats to panda survival such as poaching and illegal logging have been significantly reduced.
- Community development projects to help people sustainably coexist with pandas have been very positive.
There is hope...
The work of the Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provincial governments to ensure the survival of the giant panda gives rise to hope that the panda will not be lost and will continue to exist in the wild for generations to come.
...but there is still work to do
The IUCN’s Red List classifies the panda as endangered, as its numbers remain low, despite the recent increase, and threats to its survival remain.
Problems persist, such as the loss and fragmentation of panda habitat and competing needs of pandas and local people, but there are solutions.