(Opinion article)

The famous black and white Chinese “bamboo” bear, panda, can completely disappear from the wild nature. This was stated by the World Wildlife Fund, the symbol of which is this animal. Scientists have named the reasons that for many years “push” pandas to the brink of extinction.

According to World Wildlife Fund expert Fan Zhiyong, now 239 pandas live in captivity in China, another 1.59 thousand live in bamboo groves of Gansu, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces. The habitat of the panda is constantly decreasing due to deforestation of bamboo forests and the construction of hydroelectric power stations and high-speed motorways.

“The roads make it difficult for pandas to migrate, which prevents mating between animals from different groups and normal updating of the gene pool,” the scientist said. “There is a problem of closely related crossbreeding – and this leads to the birth of weak offspring, often incapable of reproductive activity,” the expert said.

Nevertheless, the present big panda is no longer an endangered species. She left this gloomy list quite recently – in 2016. Now it has moved one step higher – to the number of species in a vulnerable position. And the main merit in such an improvement in the status of large pandas belongs to China.

It seems to me that this is very big progress for the world. China has shown by its example how to fight extinction and care for animals. Working together with pandas (washing, clogging, brushing) is amusing. I would like to work there myself. I will never forget my childhood with its, “What goes white, black, white, black, white? Apanda tumbling and bumpling down a hill”. Lastly,  love pandas and they will love you.