Chinese authorities allocated more funds to stop the viral disease killing giant pandas, the Global Times reported on Jan. 07, Wednesday.
According to Zhao Shucong, head of the State Forestry Administration, the funds will be used to treat the sick pandas and prevent the disease from spreading to other animals. He urged for an effective measure to save the pandas.
An 8-year-old giant panda named Da Bao has been infected with canine distemper virus and died on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 04, in Shaanxi Province. Local authorities confirmed that Da Bao is the second giant panda who was infected with the viral disease. The first panda, 8-year-old Chen Cheng, died on Dec. 09, 2014, the Global Times added.
The viral disease canine distemper widely affects a variety of animals including dogs, primates and large cats. Infected animals suffer infection in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract as well as the spinal cord and the brain. High fever, eye inflammation, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy are the common symptoms of this disease. The virus is highly contagious with a high fatality rate.
Local authorities revealed that there are two more pandas that are ill and one of them is in a critical condition. Four other pandas were quarantined for further diagnosis due to fever, the Global Times said.
Shaanxi Wild Animal Conservation Research Centre, located in Lougouantai near Xian in Shaanxi Province, previously housed 25 giant pandas. Prior to the epidemic, healthy pandas were sent to other nature reserves in the province, website Shanghaisst.com reported.
More than 30 experts all over China were assigned to take care of the pandas, the Global Times added.
Pandas, one of the most critically endangered species in the world, are considered as "national treasure" in China. However, they are listed as endangered in the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Animals. There are only about 1,000 of them left in the wild, website China.org.cn revealed.