Chinese officials have announced that the giant panda is no longer classified as endangered, as the number of the animals in the wild has reached 1 800. However, they are still classified as ‘vulnerable’, one classification up from endangered.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had already reclassified pandas as being ‘vulnerable’ rather than ‘endangered’ in 2016, but this had been disputed by China. However, there is now agreement on the status of the animals.
The reclassification has been as a result of efforts to expand the natural habitat of the black-and-white beasts as well as successes in regrowing bamboo forests. About 99% of a panda’s diet is made up of this plant.
The panda is an iconic animal and is often used by the Chinese as a national symbol, along with the dragon.