Imagine a World Without Pandas

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Imagine a World Without Pandas
http//www.pandasinternational.org/movie/movie.htm
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Endangerment

• Endangerment is a BROAD issue
• Primary cause of endangerment
• Human impact

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The Human Impact

• Nearly every region of the earth has been
  affected by human activity, especially during
  this past century
• loss of microbes in soils that formerly supported
  tropical forests, the extinction of fish and
  various aquatic species in polluted habitats,
  changes in global climate
• U.S. 735 species of plants and 496 species of
  animals are listed as threatened or endangered.
• There are more than 1,000 animal species
  endangered worldwide.

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The Giant Panda

• The giant panda has long been a favorite of the
  public
• It is estimated that as few as 1,600 pandas
  remain in the wild today and only 188 live in
  captivity.
• Conservation status ? endangered

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Threats

• The two greatest threats are
• Habitat fragmentation
• And poaching

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Threats Cont.

• The habitat of the panda used to be widespread in
  south and eastern parts of China, Vietnam, and
  Burma. . Over time their habitat has been greatly
  reduced.
• Today, the panda resides only in the mountains of
  a few sections of southwestern China
• Rapid human population growth leads to the
  destruction of a large part of their habitat.
• Clearing and logging the land for agriculture is
  a huge factor in the reduction of bamboo which
  accounts for 99 of their diet.

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Threats Cont.

• Pockets of giant pandas are isolated from each
  other. It's crucial to their survival that they
  be linked with each other to find mates and
  adequate bamboo supplies.
• The bamboo flower dies off every 20 to 40 years
• Pandas use scent and calls to find a mate, and if
  there is no male in the area or if there are
  roads and power lines, etc in the way, they
  arent able to mate.
• Poaching has been a problem in the past, but the
  government enacted severe punishment for anyone
  killing a panda, however pandas can be injured
  and killed in traps meant for other animals.

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WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP SAVE THEM!!!!!

• 1940 - the Chinese government began implementing
  legislation to protect the Giant Pandas.
• 1963 - China Research and Conservation Center for
  the Giant Pandas was established at the Wolong
  Nature Reserve
• Today The Conservation Center is now 50 acres
  and is the premier panda breeding facility in the
  world.

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Whats Being Done

• There is an enforced logging ban as to eliminate
  further habitat destruction.
• Captive births at the conservation center range
  from six to eleven a year.
• Saving both panda twins
• Wolong Mountain reintroduction
• Donate Money to Pandas International
• http//www.PandasInternational.org

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WHY SAVE THEM

• Our future generations deserve to see and know
  pandas, they deserve their own place in the
  natural world.
• They are one of natures creatures, and need to be
  protected.
• We also know for a fact that the decline of panda
  is not part of the natural process, but that
  humans are responsible for their decline habitat
  destruction, so we have the duty to save and
  protect them.
• when a species becomes endangered it indicates a
  decline in the health of the ecosystem, losing
  one component of the ecosystem can trigger loss
  of other animal species.

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IMAGINE!

• We have to remember Extinction is FOREVER.
  Endangered means we still have time, and the
  choices we make now decide the fate of the entire
  species.

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Sources

• nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas
• www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/creature_feature/0
  011/pandas.html
• animal.discovery.com/convergence/pandas/pandas.htm
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