China Removes Giant Panda From Endangered List, Haunted By Climate Change

Illustration of a herd of pandas. (Wikimedia Commons/Chi King)

JAKARTA - Chinese authorities officially announced the removal of the giant panda from the list of endangered animals, last Friday, July 9, despite warning that the number of giant panda populations outside captivity still needs attention.

In an article posted on the official website of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the population of giant pandas living in the wild in China had increased to 1,864 in 2013, up from 1,596 in 2003.

Cui Shuhong, head of the ministry's Department of Nature Conservation and Ecology, said the increase reflected their better living conditions and China's efforts to keep their habitat integrated.

The figure is based on China's panda census conducted every decade since the 1970s in the three provinces that have the largest giant panda populations: Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu, citing Euronews July 10.

Panda illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Colegota)

China's decision to remove the giant panda from its endangered list comes five years after the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downgraded the giant panda from endangered to vulnerable on the Red List of Threatened Species.

Giant pandas have a naturally slow breeding rate, with females ovulating only once a year and then raising cubs for up to three years. Although two cubs can be born at the same time, usually only one survives and is highly susceptible weighing no more than five ounces (about 145 grams).

Meanwhile, according to The Guardian July 9, many Chinese experts rejected the decision at the time, arguing that it was misleading and would cause complacency in Bamboo Curtain Land, where the animals are considered a national treasure. They have been used as part of Beijing's international diplomacy since the 1950s.

This week's announcement was greeted with glee on social media. The related hashtag on Weibo has been read nearly 10 million times.

Panda illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Specie8470)

"Beautiful, great news," said one post. "It shows all the effort has paid off. Well done."

Meanwhile, others urged Chinese conservationists to continue their work. “This is a good start, but there is still a threat to this species. Don't relax."

Observers say conservation issues have also been linked to Beijing's diplomacy in recent months. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday, July 8, the concept of lush mountains and clear water, comparable to gold and silver, has taken root among people in China.

"We are ready to work with all parties to strengthen international cooperation in ecological conservation and environmental management together," he said.

However, the giant panda still faces a long-term threat. The IUCN says climate change could destroy more than 35 percent of their bamboo habitat in the next 80 years.

At the same time, the Chinese Ministry also reported significant increases for several other species with the number of Siberian tigers, Asian elephants and crested ibises living in the wild also increasing.