Why Are Pandas in Danger

Now, pandas in China become rare, and we find several reasons. The first is the reduction of forests. Every year, about ten thousand hectares of pandas' habitats cut by human being. So, about 2.5 square kilometers of their habitats disappeared every year. Population of Shanxi, Gansu, and Sichuan Province has grown more in recent thirty years. However, pandas mainly live in these three provinces. Their population has reached about 430 thousand. In addition, there are 27 large forestry enterprises until 1985. In these years we lost 420 thousand hectares forests. That is to say, every year we lost about 20 thousand hectares. In 15 years, the habitats of pandas decreased from 30 thousand square kilometers in 70s to 13 thousand square kilometers. That is to say, half of the original habitats have already disappeared because of people's destruction. At the same time, there were no pandas in 6 cutting areas. In other 10 felling areas, there were only a few wild pandas. All in all, we lost many pandas because we destroyed their habitats.
The second reason is that people catch pandas. Some western countries wanted to purchase pandas before 1949. So people in Wenchuan County seized pandas to sell. They caught about 20 pandas, so until today the number of pandas in Wenchuan County is still small. Although we have experienced sixty years, pandas living there are not many. In addition, from 1963 to now about 113 wild pandas have been seized in Baoxing County. Since 1950s, 240 wild pandas have been exhibited in domestic and overseas. But 170 pandas come from Baoxing and Pingwu County. So the pandas' population structure in these two counties was destroyed. At the same time, the number also decreased. According to panda's life table, one generation needs about 12 years. So the population growth of panda is especially tardy. If we seize pandas in a great quantity, we need several tens of years to let them renew. Moreover, we have to cherish these existing pandas.
Thirdly, people seize pandas to smuggle their pelts' samples. But, recently this kind of thing happens occasionally.
The fourth one is that pandas mainly distribute in 25 isolated island-like places. These isolated places cover 205 square kilometers. Moreover, 67% of these habitats' proportion is less than 350 square kilometers. The isolate and segmentation are important factors that threaten the panda's population. Their reproductive capacity and resistance to diseases become weak or decline. Moreover, the young's survival rate is very small.
Fifthly, most wild pandas are living in the peak. Human's activity area has extends quickly. So bamboos are very few. If the bamboos blossomed, pandas will lose their food. In 1975, about 138 panda died because of the bloom of bamboos in Minshan Mountain.
The last threat is that people exploit minerals in pandas' habitats. They did not get the permission of the government. People also chop trees and go hunting. It is said that panda's net reproduction rate is about 1% and every female panda can give birth to a few generations. The female panda propagates one or two once. Moreover, they bear once in every two years. In addition, the female panda has not enough energy to care of them.