Due to a breeding boom over the past few years, giant pandas are making a strong recovery. Some experts argue that the species should be removed from the critically endangered list — but is it too soon?

 

This comes as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature undertakes an official reassessment of the panda’s status. The Swiss-based organization uses a seven-point scale to gauge the risk facing animal populations.

 

Sources have reportedly told Chinese authorities that ICUN experts are considering downgrading the giant panda from “endangered” in the wild to the still concerning but slightly lower category: “high risk of endangerment.”

 

In the mid-90s, the population of wild pandas dropped as low as 1,000 individuals. Despite evolutionary adaptations for a carnivorous diet, giant pandas eat around 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo a day. But forest fragmentation and encroaching human populations threaten this critical food source.

 

Giant pandas also have a low birth rate, meaning that it can take a long time for the population to recover. And even with severe penalties in place, pressures from illegal poaching continue to pose a significant barrier to recovery. (ENN)