Adult giant pandas are generally solitary, but they do communicate periodically through scent marks, calls, and occasional meetings. The Offspring stay with their mothers from 1-3 years. Their main diet consists of bamboo and they also get much of their water supply through this grass because about half of it is water. But they get the rest from nearby rivers and streams. When pandas eat, they usually sit upright similar to how humans do. In order to receive all its daily nutrients... it has to eat up to 40 pounds of food per day! The life of panda consists of sleeping, seeking for food, and eating (that doesn't sound too bad). These animals live mostly in Yangtze and bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China. Most of the wild population being distributed between the Qinling and Minshan Mountains.
Pandas play a crucial role in the bamboo forests where they roam. They do this by spreading seeds and promoting growth of vegetation. They live in the forests of Yangtze which is also home to the dwarf blue sheep, multi-colored pheasants and other endangered species (for example the golden monkey). By saving the panda, we are also helping to increase the quality of life of local populations because the Panda's habitat is located in the heart of China. Since millions of people live in China and adore these animals, pandas bring huge economic benefits to local communities through tourism.
Currently the Giant Panda is threatened by hunters. Although poaching declined due to strict laws and greater public awareness, hunters seeking other animals in panda habitats continue to kill pandas accidentally. Furthermore the panda's habitat is in one of the most economically wealthy parts of China. Therefore industries and transportation are bound to prosper in these areas. Roads and railroads are being built and destroying the forest, which isolates panda populations and prevents mating. Forest destruction also reduces pandas’ access to the bamboo they need to survive. The Chinese government has established more than 50 panda reserves.. but only around 61% of the country’s panda population is protected.
The WWF does an excellent job in increasing awareness, but they also advocate for more protection from the government. Some other efforts include building local capacities for nature reserve management and creating green corridors to link isolated pandas. Another conservation effort that is in place is The Giant Panda Conservation Fund. This program helps the National Zoo to save the pandas by "creating a new state-of-the-art exhibit for them, and financing a variety of research projects and other important activities in China and the United States." This fund also participates in research of the pandas, and monitors current behaviors and destruction being done to habitats in China.
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/support/gpconservationfund/
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/support/gpconservationfund/
How can you help? Well there is always the option to adopt a panda and donate money to WWF to help with funding as well as research. But you can also reduce the amount of tourism in the Chinese are by traveling smarter. Therefore the habitats will not be interrupted with groups of people! LETS SAVE THE PANDAS AND SPREAD THE WORD!
Work cited: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/panda/where_panda_lives_habitat/
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-panda
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/whatyoucando/
Work cited: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/panda/where_panda_lives_habitat/
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/giant-panda
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/giant_panda/whatyoucando/