Giant pandas, known for their unique fur, playful attitudes, and adorable appearance, have a giant problem. Endangered since 1990, the occupants of China’s mountain bamboo forests struggle to survive and reproduce in their constantly shrinking home. Deforestation not only limits panda’s access to food, but also their access to other pandas in bamboo forests which are cut off by roads and construction.
The loss of China’s most popular habitant has caught attention. According to the World Wildlife Fund (whose logo is in fact, a giant panda), “The Chinese government has established more than 50 panda reserves, but only around 67% of the total wild panda population lives in reserves, with 54% of the total habitat area being protected” (WWF). Along with poaching and other factors, the efforts made to protect pandas aren’t enough to grow the panda population; and while reserves do eventually release some pandas into the wild, the process is slow.
Pandas cause no harm to humans. They hardly even cause harm to other animals, 99% of their diet is bamboo! The inconsideration for their species is cruelty, but one that can be compensated with a renewed effort to rebuild their populations. Pandas, along with many of the Earth’s creatures, deserve better.
