How old will you be in 2045?How old will giant pandas be in 2045?They might be all gone...
There are approximately 1,600 giant pandas in the wild at the moment and compared to the number of humans in Australia alone; approximately 20.5 million! There are about 13,000 people in Australia for every 1 panda in the world and the gap is getting bigger...
Monday, March 31, 2008
Why Are Pandas Disappearing?
Lost their forest habitat due to China’s expanding human population-
China's financial status continues its fast growth and continues to over-populate both China and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, in many places there is barely enough room for humans to live comfortably, let alone other animals.
Habitat loss-
Forests are being cut down and becoming instead: undeveloped areas, areas for medical herb gathering, bamboo harvesting areas, hunting areas, and large-scale expansion performance areas such as road building, hydropower growth, and mining.
Illegal trades-
Pandas used to be hunted for money and other purposes, however this has since been banned. Unfortunately, some people are still hunting pandas today.
Bamboo 'die-back'-
This is a usual phenomenon happening around each 15–120 years depending on the type of bamboo. Once the bamboo dies it can take a year to grow back and as long as 20 years before the fresh plant life can maintain a giant panda population.
China's financial status continues its fast growth and continues to over-populate both China and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, in many places there is barely enough room for humans to live comfortably, let alone other animals.
Habitat loss-
Forests are being cut down and becoming instead: undeveloped areas, areas for medical herb gathering, bamboo harvesting areas, hunting areas, and large-scale expansion performance areas such as road building, hydropower growth, and mining.
Illegal trades-
Pandas used to be hunted for money and other purposes, however this has since been banned. Unfortunately, some people are still hunting pandas today.
Bamboo 'die-back'-
This is a usual phenomenon happening around each 15–120 years depending on the type of bamboo. Once the bamboo dies it can take a year to grow back and as long as 20 years before the fresh plant life can maintain a giant panda population.
Survey Results
We surveyed a Year 8 Geography class of around 25 people to see how aware people are about Giant Pandas; here are the results:Are pandas an endangered species?93% answered yes, 7% answered no.What has caused pandas to become an endangered species?50% said some of the below and 50% didn't know.
Pollution
Deforestation and Land Clearing
Sallination (salt)
Global Warming
Roughly how many pandas are left in the wild?
33% knew, (1,600), 67% didn't know.
You can help to raise awareness about these and other topics by talking to your friends, family or colleagues. You can donate money to WWF if you want to really make a difference; the address is https://secure.wwf.org.au/act/donate/
Pollution
Deforestation and Land Clearing
Sallination (salt)
Global Warming
Roughly how many pandas are left in the wild?
33% knew, (1,600), 67% didn't know.
You can help to raise awareness about these and other topics by talking to your friends, family or colleagues. You can donate money to WWF if you want to really make a difference; the address is https://secure.wwf.org.au/act/donate/
What We Are Doing...
We are adopting a panda and raising awareness to everyday people not just about the pandas losing their homes to development, but also to global warming, read more to see how you can help...
What can you do?
There are many things that you can do to help; like us, you can raise money or adopt a panda yourself. Little things do make people aware of how unlucky these pandas really are. By turning your lights off before you go somewhere or using less electricity and water you can help prevent global warming and sustain our Earth.
Freed Chinese panda dies in wild
Xiang Xiang was released into Sichuan's forests in April 2006The first Chinese panda released into the wild after being bred in captivity has died, Chinese media has announced.
Xiang Xiang was released in April 2006 from the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre and was said to be adjusting well to his new life.
But the five-year-old was found dead in February. Officials said his death was likely due to a fight with wild pandas.
Xiang Xiang's death is a set back for China's efforts to increase the number of giant pandas in the wild.
Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. Only about 1,600 remain in the wild, with another 200 living in captivity.
'Lessons to learn'
Before his release, Xiang Xiang spent three years in a special training compound at the research centre in Sichuan province to prepare him for a natural habitat.
Last year, experts there said he appeared to be integrating into the area's wild panda population.
The lessons we have learnt from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project
Zhang Hemin
But he was briefly taken back to the centre in December for treatment after a fight with other pandas.
"We chose Xiang Xiang because we thought that a strong male panda would have a better chance of surviving in the harsh natural environment," Xinhua news agency quoted the reserve's deputy director Li Desheng as saying.
"But the other male pandas clearly saw Xiang Xiang as a threat."
Officials suggested that Xiang Xiang, whose injuries included broken ribs, had fallen from a high place after a fight with other pandas over food or territory.
Zhang Hemin, head of the centre, said that they would continue to release pandas into the wild.
"We are all sad about Xiang Xiang, but it doesn't mean the project has failed," he said.
"The lessons we have learnt from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project."
The delay in reporting Xiang Xiang's death was because of the need for a full investigation, Xinhua quoted officials as saying.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6707455.stm
Xiang Xiang was released into Sichuan's forests in April 2006The first Chinese panda released into the wild after being bred in captivity has died, Chinese media has announced.
Xiang Xiang was released in April 2006 from the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre and was said to be adjusting well to his new life.
But the five-year-old was found dead in February. Officials said his death was likely due to a fight with wild pandas.
Xiang Xiang's death is a set back for China's efforts to increase the number of giant pandas in the wild.
Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. Only about 1,600 remain in the wild, with another 200 living in captivity.
'Lessons to learn'
Before his release, Xiang Xiang spent three years in a special training compound at the research centre in Sichuan province to prepare him for a natural habitat.
Last year, experts there said he appeared to be integrating into the area's wild panda population.
The lessons we have learnt from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project
Zhang Hemin
But he was briefly taken back to the centre in December for treatment after a fight with other pandas.
"We chose Xiang Xiang because we thought that a strong male panda would have a better chance of surviving in the harsh natural environment," Xinhua news agency quoted the reserve's deputy director Li Desheng as saying.
"But the other male pandas clearly saw Xiang Xiang as a threat."
Officials suggested that Xiang Xiang, whose injuries included broken ribs, had fallen from a high place after a fight with other pandas over food or territory.
Zhang Hemin, head of the centre, said that they would continue to release pandas into the wild.
"We are all sad about Xiang Xiang, but it doesn't mean the project has failed," he said.
"The lessons we have learnt from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project."
The delay in reporting Xiang Xiang's death was because of the need for a full investigation, Xinhua quoted officials as saying.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6707455.stm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
