One of the reasons pandas are endangered is due to the nature of their highly specialized diet. Pandas live almost exclusively on a diet of bamboo and must consume large quantities of this plant to maintain their large bulk. They can also supplement their diet with honey, bananas, oranges, sweet potatoes, bush leaves, and fish or eggs.

The natural habitat of giant pandas can be found in the mountain ranges of central China, but it is gradually being pushed out of its natural habitat by agriculture and deforestation. The situation is now so dire that only 1,590 giant pandas are recorded living in the wild. Pandas have a very low birth rate, further threatening the survival of the species.

Poaching had a far-reaching effect on the giant panda population, with demand for giant panda pelts from the West and places like Japan and Hong Kong causing an alarming drop in the wild panda population. Hunting of these beautiful animals has been prohibited since 1930, which led to illegal poaching as the demand for exotic furs grew.

Conservation efforts are having a positive impact on the number of giant panda bears, which is estimated to have increased to 3,000 and in 2006 there were as many as 40 panda reserves in China. These areas have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in a bid to preserve the natural habitats of the giant panda and its smaller cousins.

Specialized reserves, parks and zoos are now taking an active interest in the preservation of the panda’s natural habitat, fighting to preserve this unique animal and its natural environment for generations to come. Captive breeding programs are now increasing panda numbers, although some argue this is an exercise in futility as there is not enough natural habitat left to support them.