Chapter 21 - Red Pandas in the Wild in China

Abstract

This chapter provides red pandas in the wild of china. The history of current red pandas can be traced back to the middle Pleistocene, whose fossil materials were unearthed at several sites in South China. Both subspecies are found in China, of which, the endemic A. f. styani extends from west Sichuan province to east Yunnan province, and the nominate A. f.fulgens is extant in south Tibet and North Yunnan. Traditionally, the Nujiang River is considered a natural barrier to separate the two subspecies. Red pandas in China have disappeared from some former distribution localities, such as in Guizhou, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai. During the last 50 years, it was estimated that the red panda population has decreased as much as 40% in China. Their extant habitats are estimated about 37436.5 km2, and the total of individuals about 6000–76000, which are separated into many isolated populations. Many efforts have been made to promote the conservation of red pandas in the wild in China, including legislation, reserve establishment, local resident education. However, the animal is still faced with many severe threats affecting its sustainable survival, such as deforestation, habitat fragmentation and population isolation, poaching, and bamboo flowering as well.