A Qinling panda named Qizai eats bamboo shoots at a panda rescue and research center in Shaanxi. The Qinling panda differs from the more familiar subspecies with its dark brown and light brown (rather than black and white) fur. Photo: XINHUA

---

 

XI’AN—On Nov. 19, China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the People’s Government of Shaanxi Province co-hosted cultural events in Xi’an to raise awareness of the protection of giant pandas in the Qinling, also known as the Qin Mountains, a major east-west mountain range in southern Shaanxi Province.

On the same day, a forum on giant panda protection was also held. More than 500 attendees from governmental departments, universities, academies and institutes from home and abroad shared their research results and exchanged experience on the topic.

The Qinling is one of the most biologically diverse regions in China, home to the Qinling panda, a subspecies of the giant panda with rare brown fur. The protection of the giant panda in the region is of great importance to maintaining the stability of the biological system.
As Xue Jianxing, director of the Forestry Department of Shaanxi Province introduced, the giant panda is called “the national treasure of China.” It is a key species that reflects ecological evolution and possesses unique and rich meaning in Chinese culture.

The Forestry Department of Shaanxi Province has conducted extensive cooperation and communication with many famous universities, research institutes and international organizations. The department has also established a series of bases for scientific research and education. As a result, substantial progress has been made in the protection of the giant panda and its habitat, the prevention and control of epidemic diseases, and the level of management and giant panda breeding research.

Remarkable results have been achieved in recent years in the giant panda conservation in the Qinling. The current number of the giant pandas in the region has increased to 345 from 109. The number of the species, their density, and the rate of effective protection of the habitat continue to grow. But overall, the giant pandas in the Qinling are still few; the population size of this species is still small, which means there are still tough tasks ahead in order to ensure their protection.

Dang Shuangren, president of the Shaanxi Academy of Forestry Science, proposed the idea of “layers of ecosphere,” a theory which could provide a comprehensive scientific basis and supporting data for protecting the Qinling habitat of giant pandas.

Dang said that Shaanxi Province will strive to develop the protected area by establishing a national park for giant pandas at its core. Furthermore, Shaanxi will make full use of its historical and cultural advantages to create a unique cultural brand revolving around the giant panda in the Qinling, making them the new messengers along the Silk Road for ecological concepts.

Ren Yi, a professor from Shaanxi Normal University, has been long dedicated to the research on the bamboo diet of the giant panda in the Qinling. To him, the mutual relationship between man and nature indicates that, fundamentally speaking, they form a community of life.

 

(edited by REN GUANHONG)