Hi guys
This post will be a summary and a brief analysis of the panda conservation efforts in China. http://www.wwfchina.org/english/pandacentral/htm/learn_about_giant_panda/panda_q_a/conservation_efforts.htm
The three main actions taken by the Chinese government to conserve pandas are:
- nature reserves
- ban of logging*
- breeding pandas in captivity
*logging: the activity of cutting down trees for wood (Cambridge Online Dictionary)
In my opinion, the ban on logging is significant as there is already limited bamboo forests for the pandas. Putting a ban on logging will at least ensure that the pandas have their source of food and habitat. With the implementation of this ban, some of the people who used to work in logging lost their jobs and turned to illegal methods to earn money such as poaching which can harm other species of animals.
For the breeding in captivity, the main objective is to re-introduce captive pandas into the wild. This can benefit the pandas as they will learn the basic skills of survival and increase the chance of long-term survival in the wild. However, it is difficult to set up a breeding centre due to the lack of trained staff members and resources.
As for the nature reserves, there are already 33 of them: Five are in Shaanxi Province, two are in Gansu Province, and the rest are in Sichuan Province. Nature reserves ensure that the pandas can live peacefully and at the same time researchers can also observe them and do find out more about them so that hopefully that will be more ways to save the endangered pandas. However, nature reserves are very costly. The government will have to cut down their expenditure on other components such as education and transport.
After reading your comments, I feel that maybe the implementation of the ban on logging maybe a good idea, however, with that being said that the jobs of some would be lost, I think that the government should have tried to provide jobs for them so that things will not be worsen and change only for the better. Secondly, the breeding in captivity maybe useful to a certain extend, but I think that it is not efficient as many trained staff would be needed. Moreover, as you have mentioned, there are limited trained staff. Lastly, I feel that the nature reserve as an implementation for conserving panda, is a good idea as it allows us to understand and learn about pandas which would allow us to help them in a more efficient way by satisfying their needs.
ReplyDelete-Lin Wei
I found out that because they banned logging, the people in China have to find other ways to make up for the revenue loss. These methods include agricultural activities which also contribute to the decreasing population of giant pandas.
ReplyDeleteOohhhh okay thanks for the info! :)
ReplyDelete-ZZ
1. Among all the actions taken by the Chinese government above, which method is the most efficient in your point of view?
ReplyDelete2. Why do you think that it is necessary to take the following measures?
3. Why did the Chinese government even ban logging? How badly has logging affected the pandas?
-Lin Wei
Hi Lin Wei,
ReplyDelete1. I feel that the ban on logging is the most efficient and effective one. Even with the establishment of nature reserves, the giant pandas are not going to survive if people are going to continue to cut down the bamboo forests at such a rapid rate. This is because the nature reserves are actually established in the bamboo forests.
2. Simply put, we are trying to prevent the giant pandas from going extinct. The significance of all the measures is already stated above :)
3. Logging have impacted the giant pandas greatly. Between 1974 and 1989, the bamboo habitat of the giant pandas shrunk by 50% in the Sichuan province alone. If the logging ban was not implemented, then I'm afraid there wouldn't be any bamboo left now! Thus, with the implementation of the ban on logging, it ensures that the giant pandas have a place to live and eat.
-Zhou Zhou
1. Do you think that enough have been done to ban logging? Why/why not?
Delete2. Personally, how do you think you can help to promote anti-logging? Why?
-Lin Wei
1. I applaud the government and organisations for taking the effort to come up with this ban. After the ban in 1998, the bamboo forests are in a stable condition. However, I feel that stricter punishments should be in place as logging is still taking place (although very minimal).
Delete2. I guess we can buy products that are made from environmentally friendly materials. If we cut down the demand from wood/bamboo products, there will be lesser supply and people will not longer be in the business of felling bamboo trees :)
-ZZ