More pandas in the wild in China

Until recently, pandas were considered “endangered” because their habitats had shrunk significantly. According to the forestry authority, there are now more free-living animals in Chinese forests.

There are more pandas living in the wild in China again. This was announced by the Chinese forestry authority. There are now an estimated 1,900 animals, whereas in the 1980s there were only around 1,100, says Zhang Yue from the forestry authority. The status was downgraded from “endangered” to “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This shows that China’s efforts for the animals are internationally recognized.

According to the nature conservation organization WWF, the number of pandas has declined sharply in the past because forest habitats were destroyed. The giant pandas, also known as giant pandas, live mainly in the mountains of Sichuan, southern China. Sichuan’s capital Chengdu has a zoo and a breeding center for the black and white bears – a popular tourist destination.

Pandas for diplomacy efforts

The communist government also lends pandas to other countries for a fee. The Berlin Zoo also has pandas from China. However, the animals and their offspring generally remain the property of the People’s Republic. In December, two pandas that were born in Berlin were flown to Chengdu. The twins Pit and Paule, who are called Mengxiang and Mengyuan in Chinese, are now in China.

The practice of sending pandas to other countries as a sign of friendship and rapprochement is also known as panda diplomacy. As relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated in recent years, more and more U.S. zoos have lost their panda licenses and had to return their animals.