The giant panda is no longer listed as “Endangered,” but it is still “Vulnerable,” according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The change was announced on September 4. The group stated that it has seen a 17 percent rise in panda populations over a decade. In 2014, a census found 1,864 wild pandas in China. The panda has been the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund for more than 50 years. This positive change in the giant panda’s endangered status shows what happens when people engage in conservation efforts. In total, 67 panda reserves now protect almost two-thirds of the world’s giant pandas.
Read more about giant pandas and their status as a “vulnerable” species.