A giant panda yawns atop a branch at the Wolong Giant Panda Sanctuary in Sichuan Province. (Photo : REUTERS)
China will boost the giant panda's survival by expanding nature reserves and forbidding development in surrounding areas in a bid to minimize fragmentation of their habitats.
Despite the increase of panda population and habitat area, a survey said that economic development remains a threat to the rare animal's preservation.
Results of the Fourth National Survey on Giant Pandas showed that habitat fragmentation is the major factor threatening the species's survival.
Because of geographic isolation and human intervention, the wild population is fragmented into 33 isolated populations. Twenty-four of those have fewer than 100 pandas and are at high risk.
Fan Zhiyong, WWF China's species program director, blamed human intervention for breaking the habitat into fragments. He suggested an "overall panda management network" that would prohibit government bodies from the provinces where the habitats are located from constructing or conducting other development activities.
These disturbances include 319 hydropower plants, 1,339 kilometers of road and 268.7 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines.
"Now about 42 percent of panda habitat is not included in the network of nature reserves. We will establish new ones and expand old ones, trying to include all habitats and surrounding areas into the network," said Chen Fengxue, deputy head of the administration.
"At the same time, we will connect and bridge the fragmented, isolated wild panda populations," added Chen.
By the end of 2013, the population of giant pandas across the country had reached 1,864, an increase of 16.8 percent. The number does not include cubs younger than 18 months. Nearly 75 percent of wild pandas live in Sichuan Province.
The total area of their territory reached 25,800 square kilometers, an increase of 11.8 percent.
