As most of us know, pandas have been very close to extinction since the 1980’s, with numbers around just 1,000 in the wild. Since then, considerable and admirable effort has been put into helping the iconic animal recover! The Chinese government itself has done a lot to protect them. But now, in 2021, they’ve decided that the pandas no longer need protection. But many people disagree, saying that making this official distinction may actually deter existing conservation efforts.
Pandas survival is still threatened by two other species: Chinese boars and rakins. Chinese boars like the eat young bamboo shoots, the food of choice for pregnant and lactating pandas. And it turns out pandas won’t go into areas where boards are foraging for the shoots. Meanwhile, rakins disrupt panda mating rituals and both species carry potentially fatal diseases. In short, pandas are far from safe and although their numbers both in the wild and in captivity have grown, they are not stable enough to be removed from the endangered species list! Please sign the petition asking China to keep protecting panda bears!