Protecting China's Giant Pandas
China's giant pandas show the achievement of the international effort to save animals that are now in danger. In television programmes we often see pandas 1 funny games. Children have panda toys and beautiful cards with pictures of lovely 2 in them. They often visit the giant pandas in the zoos on 3 holidays and have a good time there. However, scientists are worried about 4 of giant pandas. They know only about 1,000 giant pandas remain 5 today. They think the giant pandas will die out in 30 years if the present conditions are not 6.
It is reported that the giant pandas have a very 7 birth rate. About 115 pandas live in the zoos and research centres mainly in China, but during the past 10 years they 8 only 34 9 pandas that are still alive. The survival rate of giant pandas in the wild is probably the same or lower.
There are several reasons for the low 10. The main reason is 11 male pandas can make love with females in a very 12 season—only a few days a year. When they do have babies, females often produce two pandas, but the mother is usually not able to care for 13 of them. The newborn pandas 14 only a few kilograms each. They are too weak to live without special care. In the zoo, scientists can help the mothers 15 the young pandas, but those living in the wild do not get enough 16. It is very difficult for mother pandas to bring up their young pandas.
Conditions for the giant pandas have been worse in recent years. Pandas in China continue to 17 in number. We know pandas live on bamboos. But sometimes all the bamboos in one area die. The pandas there have 18 to eat and die of hunger.
Giant pandas now live in 13 separate 19 areas in China. Several years ago the Chinese government and the International Wildlife Organization agreed 20 a project of protecting giant pandas in the wild. We hope it could be useful.
