Native to central China, giant panda's are one of the rarest bears in the world with as few as 1,864 giant pandas in the wild, while another 600 or so pandas live in zoos and breeding centers. Interestingly, pandas have no natural enemies, yet they suffered a decline in population so as to be on the verge of extinction. A primary reason for the decline was habitat loss caused through deforestation by humans. Panda's must live in forests rich in bamboo on which they eat to survive. No bamboo equals no pandas. Of course, there are other causes of the panda population decline, such as poaching, but again they are human caused for the most part.
China has taken a leading role in panda conservation efforts by establishing numerous nature reserves to protect and promote the bears. Perhaps the best known is the Wolong National Nature Reserve which is about 80 miles from Chengdu in the Whenchuan County of the Sichuan Provence. The photographs accompanying this discussion were taken at the Wolong National Nature Reserve.
Fun facts about panda bears are:
99% of giant pandas’ diet consists of bamboo
Pandas spend about 12 hours a day eating
Pandas defecate more than 100 times a day
Adult pandas can weigh Up to 275 pounds
Giant Pandas don’t hibernate
There are several organizations that support giant panda bear conservation which include the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), The Nature Conservancy, Pandas International, and Chengdu Research of Giant Panda Breeding. Fortunately, these organizations and others in tandem with the Chinese National Government have been successful in preserving the Panda from extinction, but efforts must continue.
Never forget whether it be about a panda or any other creature on this plant ... Extinction is Forever.
