Giant pandas, with their round faces, stocky bodies, and distinctive coloration, are beloved worldwide as cultural symbols and emblems of biodiversity, reflecting the remarkable ecological progress of this country.

At the Global Panda Partners 2024 conference in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China, attention was again focused on China's successes in panda conservation and its efforts to protect the environment and endangered species.

According to official figures, the population of wild giant pandas has increased from approximately 1,100 in the 1980s to nearly 1,900. The global captive panda population currently numbers 757 individuals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has downgraded the giant panda's status from "endangered" to "vulnerable."

Sichuan province, where the conference was held, is home to the world's largest panda habitat. Here, 1,387 wild pandas have been found, representing a more than 50% increase compared to the 1980s.

"Panda conservation has not been easy. For example, finding the optimal composition of milk replacer for panda cubs required dozens of tests," said Li Desheng, a leading expert at the Chinese Center for Giant Panda Protection and Research.

"In the early days, artificial breeding of giant pandas was a major challenge. In the 1980s, we managed to raise only one cub that survived for two years," recalled Li.

However, thanks to technological and scientific advancements, artificial breeding has significantly improved, both in terms of breeding rates and the survival of panda cubs. The average lifespan of pandas has also increased, the expert said.

Pandas in China are also benefiting from expanded wild habitats. In 2021, China officially designated five national parks, including the Giant Panda National Park, which encompasses parts of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces.

Members of the German choir Burg Chinese Chorus and Chinese students at the opening ceremony of the Global Panda Partners conference. PHOTO - Xinhua/Shen Bohan

At the opening ceremony of the Global Panda Partners 2024 conference, Guan Zhi'ou, head of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, stated that the country has established a panda habitat protection system focused on a national park with a total area of 2.58 million hectares. Connectivity of habitats has also been achieved, enabling genetic exchange between 85 percent of the wild giant panda populations.

In addition to pandas, China has strengthened research and international cooperation in the protection of other endangered species through various measures, such as habitat protection, artificial breeding and cultivation, and reintroduction into the wild.

The populations of more than 300 rare and endangered wild animal and plant species, such as the Siberian tiger and the Hainan gibbon, have achieved stable growth.

During the conference, former UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova stated that Chinese leadership has emphasized the relationship between humans and nature and called for efforts to create a community of life for humans and nature. "This resonates deeply with the concept of sustainable development embodied in the UN 2030 Agenda, in the implementation of which China is becoming a leader," she added.

The Jordanian ambassador to China, Hussam Al Husseini, stated that China provides a good example of environmental protection while simultaneously promoting modern development. He expressed hope that Chinese practices in areas such as the green economy and wildlife conservation would also be implemented in Jordan.

Xinhua/ gnews - RoZ_07

PHOTO - Xinhua/Xu Bingjie, Shen Bohan