Threats
The giant panda is an endangered species, threatened by continued habitat loss and by a very low birthrate, both in the wild and in captivity.
The giant panda has been a target of poaching by locals since ancient times and by foreigners since it was introduced to the West. Pandas remained a source of soft furs for the locals and the population boom in China after 1949 created stress on the pandas' habitat, and the subsequent famines led to the increased hunting of wildlife, including pandas. Demand for panda skins from Hong Kong and Japan led to illegal poaching for the black market.
In 1958 the Wolong National Nature Reserve was set up by the PRC government in 1958 to help save the declining panda population, however it had little effect due to inexperience and insufficient knowledge. Many believed the best way to save the pandas was to cage them. As a result, pandas were caged at any sign of decline, and suffered from terrible conditions. Because of pollution and destruction of their natural habitat, along with segregation caused by caging, reproduction of wild pandas was severely limited. In the 1990s, however, several laws (including gun control and the removal of resident humans from the reserves) helped their chances of survival. With these renewed efforts and improved conservation methods, wild pandas have started to increase in numbers in some areas, though they still are classified as a rare species.
The giant panda has been a target of poaching by locals since ancient times and by foreigners since it was introduced to the West. Pandas remained a source of soft furs for the locals and the population boom in China after 1949 created stress on the pandas' habitat, and the subsequent famines led to the increased hunting of wildlife, including pandas. Demand for panda skins from Hong Kong and Japan led to illegal poaching for the black market.
In 1958 the Wolong National Nature Reserve was set up by the PRC government in 1958 to help save the declining panda population, however it had little effect due to inexperience and insufficient knowledge. Many believed the best way to save the pandas was to cage them. As a result, pandas were caged at any sign of decline, and suffered from terrible conditions. Because of pollution and destruction of their natural habitat, along with segregation caused by caging, reproduction of wild pandas was severely limited. In the 1990s, however, several laws (including gun control and the removal of resident humans from the reserves) helped their chances of survival. With these renewed efforts and improved conservation methods, wild pandas have started to increase in numbers in some areas, though they still are classified as a rare species.
![Picture](/uploads/2/0/7/1/20719834/2205045.jpg)
This is a Giant Panda being forced into an arena