Adventures With the Captive Giant Panda: A Fluffy, Sneezy, Clownish Encounter - Research Paper

Introduction

The wild Giant Panda is beautiful, harmless, and have a sneezing habit that appears comical. The first panda I encountered was the captive type, the clownish, sneezing, and fluffy variety. Also known as the Panda bear, the Giant Panda is easily recognizable due to its outstanding black patches. It is majorly found in the southern regions of China. I had to gather a lot of courage to move closer and feel their seemingly warm body fur. I had to confirm first that it was a captive type because; the wild type is relatively dangerous. I loved its rounded outline, soft appearance, flat face, and numerous contrasting colors.

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Threats and Poachers. However, wild Giant Pandas face their most significant risks from poachers. According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo, It is because of their beautiful fur that poachers target them in the wilderness (1). Despite public awareness on their conservation and strict laws, poachers still poach the animal further posing a risk to its existence.

Organizations and Climatic Changes. China has initiated various measures towards the conservation of the giant panda. For example, as early as the 1960s, the Chinese government called upon locals to set aside land towards the preservation of its wildlife. It set plans to protect the bear together with other animals. Currently, there are over 40 reserve regions across China. Some are National Parks while others are strictly reserved for the protection and conservation of the bear. Organizations behind the initiative include Pandas International, Giant Panda Species Survival Plan, World Wildlife Fund, Chengdu Panda Base among other conservation areas in Southwest China (Stories of Animals, Nature, and Culture, 1).

The Giant Panda majorly depend on the bamboo as its primary food. With the continued climate change, giant pandas may be left without food. Climate change is bound to wipe out much of the bamboo, further making the situation worse for the bear. At the same time, humans continue blocking the accessibility of the bamboo, making the situation worse for the animals. Most reserve regions appreciate that it is high time they look out for areas where the panda may affect habitat. Otherwise, the situation may worsen the deteriorating climatic conditions of the bear.

Characteristics

Physical Attributes. The giant panda has white and black fur (coat) around their ears and eyes. Their black and thick white fur helps them adapt to the cool bamboo forests. Their legs and regions around their shoulders are black too with very well-shaped whitetails. It is a distinctive feature that marks them out even in the woods. Besides their beautiful appearance, the giant panda can swim and climb trees. For the night, they depend on their cat-like eyes, enabling them to see in the dark. They also have strong teeth with a wide area, helping them crush their foods-bamboo. Their body length is approximately 120 to 180 centimeters with a chest girth of 70 to 106 centimeters and weight 80 to 120 kilograms. Their life span is 30 years. Bamboo is their favorite food.

Maturity. Giant pandas mature fully at six months for the males and four months for the females. However, they are poor breeders an attribute brought forth by the reproductive performance of most kept bears. At the age of 5.5 to 7 years, they are sexually mature. The Smithsonian's National Zoo posited that their mating period is between March and early June (1). For successful copulation, males and females associate for between two to four days. Their gestation period is approximately from 97 to 160 days, meaning that in a year, a female giant panda can beget one cub after two years (Stories of Animals, Nature, and Culture, 1). The newborn averagely weighs between 90 to 130 grams and depends on their mothers for a period of 8 to nine months during weaning. On the other hand, adult giant pandas mark their territory by urine or by making marks on objects. They communicate by way of scent marking and vocalization.

Global Population. The global population of the wild giant panda has grown in the recent past from 1596 to 1864. Over the past few decades, their population has gradually increased by approximately 17 percent (Stories of Animals, Nature, and Culture, 1). However, finding the exact number is not easy. Researchers majorly depend on their dung to determine their exact number.

Challenges and Threats

Precious Skin. Poachers target the giant panda for its high-quality skin. The skin is majorly used to make jackets and other products such as accessories such as wallets. Besides its usage for making jackets, panda skin is highly precious and is often sold at high prices in the black market. For example, because it is rare, its skin can fetch as high as $65,000 (Smithsonian's National Zoo 1).

Destruction of the Habitat. Besides poaching, deforestation, and depletion of their primary source of food; bamboo is gradually threatening their existence. Depletion and deforestation are forcing the giant panda to relocate to farmlands to search for food. In the forests, bamboo can extensively grow in the desolate lands and mountains but slowly dies when winter sets. According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo when they move to the farmlands, they are deprived of their favorite foods exposing them to extreme hunger and suffering (1). Due to this, the giant panda has been categorized as "endangered species." Other threats to the lives of the giant panda are other habitat destructions attributed to human activities, low reproduction rate, especially for the bamboo flowering.

Defending Themselves. Giant pandas are peaceful animals. They live solitary lives and often escape confrontations. However, if they are attacked or threatened, they vigorously fight back. They have powerful jaws in addition to well-adapted teeth. They are physically strong and can counterattack any threat. They have strong jaws, large teeth, especially the molar, and can bite fiercely (Endangered Species Conservation, 1). Their climbing ability does give them an advantage while escaping a predator. While still cubs at the age of six months, they can climb trees very swiftly. Their swimming abilities provide them due to advantage when facing danger. However, Smithsonian's National Zoo maintained that they have their predators that often threaten their well-being (1). They include snow-leopards, jackals, and martens. These predators do kill and eat giant pandas. The attributes provide them with enough arsenals to confront their enemy and live among dangerous predators.

Outlooks - Groups Helping

Protecting the Bamboo. The Giant Panda's primary source of food is bamboo. These include shoots, stems, and leaves. However, it is their sole reliance on the bamboo that leaves them very vulnerable. To minimize the problem, Smithsonian's National Zoo suggested that corridors need to be built around reserve areas believed to be inhabited by the giant panda (1). Building reserves will no doubt help in preserving the natural habitat of the giant panda. Over the years, some of the reserves have proved to be strategic methodologies of enabling the giant panda to live peacefully and in harmony with the environment without the need to move to human settlements.

Destruction of their Habitat. Demolition of the wild Giant Panda's habitat is a significant worry for the survival of the panda species. Human activities that include human settlement, road construction, harvesting the bamboo for commercial remain considerable threats to their survival. Stories of Animals, Nature, and Culture maintained that urgent measures are thus needed to reduce human encroachment into their habitat by constructing conservation reserves to protect their natural habitat environment (1) further. Without such measures, it will be challenging to keep and maintain their natural food sources.

According to Smithsonian's National Zoo, poaching can also be prevented by way of constructing natural reserves where encroachment is gazette as illegal and necessary legal measures are put in place to prevent unauthorized access (1). Building natural reserves will also help in avoiding unnecessary logging, an activity that has reduced and limited the natural environment of the giant panda. Logging remains a significant problem for bamboo. Since bamboo grows close to fir trees, they are easily cut-off to access the trees. Endangered Species Conservation maintained that Loggers also use the bamboo to make particular designed wooden objects, thus reducing the giant panda's food (1). By banning commercial logging, the natural habitat of the species will be protected and well-guarded. To reduce the rate of logging and even poaching government agencies, together with interest groups, need to build corridors to enable the giant panda to live their natural lives and access their natural foods.

Patrolling the Reserves. will help in protecting Reserves and corridors. Additionally, it will protect forests, bamboo, patrolling the reserves, conducting research on the wild Giant Panda's lifestyle and well-being. Researchers will also have an easier time in researching the breeding, mating, diseases, and general welfare of the species (Smithsonian's National Zoo, 1). The corridor and reserves will enable patrollers to access injured and sick Giant pandas easily, protect significant and minor food sources and educate locals on the need for the conservation measures. Tourists will also be educated quickly in addition to supporting the entire communities nearby to adhere to the various outlined conservation measures.

Summary

Giant Panda's Lifespan. The current lifespan of the wild giant panda is between 14 to 20 years (Stories of Animals, Nature, and Culture, 1). However, Stories of Animals, Nature, and Culture maintained that with concerted conservation measures and efforts, a wild giant panda could live up to 30 years (1). Often the lifespans of a standard wild giant panda are reduced due to environmental factors that include the destruction of their natural habitat, poachers, unreliable food source, and hostile environment. If the above-discussed conservation measures can be enacted with strict government policies and interest group involvement, wild giant panda can reach its maximum lifespan of 30 years or even more.

Stakeholders (Govt and Interest Groups). Coordinated work efforts by the government, interest partners, and other stakeholders can significantly improve the living conditions of the wild giant panda in the wilderness. Endangered Species Conservation maintained that coordinated work arrangement of the groups as mentioned above would help in fostering and building a united front towards harnessing the available resources towards protecting the wild giant panda (1). For example, allocation of funds for the reserves will be secure, coordination of the patrols and staffing the various reserves and conservation centers will be achieved.

The Year 2014 Population

As at the end of 2014, the total number of wild giant pandas was 1864 globally. The number is an increase of approximately 17 percent as compared to a decade ago. It is good news, but more efforts are needed towards increasing the number. Currently, the conservation measures, in addition to strict laws, conservation efforts have helped in the increase as the population increases steadily. Wild Giant Panda's require appropriate mating places. Severely depleted and encroach regions gravely affect the mating of wild Giant Pandas, thus reducing the population. With reserves and well-protected areas, the species easily mate and beget more offspring are therefore increasing their number within their natural habitat.

The major threats to wild Giant Pandas life include fragmentation, habitat loss, and poaching. The creation of reserves remains the primary factor in protecting the number...