Giant pandas ‘to be deemed at lower risk level’ as population increases
Success of conservation efforts means top body on threatened species may downgrade their status from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’
The conservation status of the giant panda, China’s national treasure, could be downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” as the species’ population in the wild increases, a source has told the Sunday Morning Post.
A scientific assessment of the giant panda population size and habitat commissioned by the IUCN was completed a year ago, but an official decision has yet to be made. The organisation is the leading authority on the extinction risk facing the world’s threatened species, and classifies the danger into seven categories.
Currently, the panda is deemed at high risk of dying off in the wild, although the review could see it moved down one rung, to “high risk of endangerment”, the source said.
“Scientifically, the wild population is increasing, and the natural habitat is expanding,” the source said.