Page 24 - World of Animals - Issue #29

Why save the panda?
W h y s a v e t h e p a nd a ?
Conservation superstars
C o ns er v a t i o n s up er s t a r s

These charismatic icons have become the ‘poster
T h e s e c h ar i s m a t i c i c o n s h a v e b e c o m e t h e ‘ p o s t e r
animals’ for conservation, but should they be?
an i m a l s ’ f o r c o n s e r v a t i o n , bu t s ho u l d t h e y b e ?
Pandas are

preparing for

a powerful

comeback

The panda was first listed as endangered

number of pandas in zoos in 1990 and has since become an
outside of China
international symbol for conservation,
winning the public’s affection thanks to
their distinctive black and white markings
and their clumsy but endearing, child-like
behaviour. There is a general consensus
that things are turning around for the
pandas left in the wild
giant panda. Populations have been
steadily increasing largely due to an
£680K improvement in available habitat
for wild pandas in China and
yearly rental for zoos per breakthroughs in husbandry
research. Currently there
panda, payable to China are 300 pandas in
captivity with only
38KG 51 of those in zoos
outside of China.

Gorillas could be
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weight of fresh bamboo shoot an Gorillas could be
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adu l l t t p and a e a t t s s pe r r d a y y
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adult panda eats per day
saved by being in the
BELOW
BE L OW saved by being in the
There are two species
There are two species
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of gorilla: western
of gorilla: western
t
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conservation spotlight
(pictured here) and
(pictured here) and conservation spotlight
eastern. Mountain
eastern. Mountain
gorillas are a subspecies
gorillas are a subspecies
of eastern gorillas
Humans feel an affinity with gorillas,
of eastern gorillas Humans feel an affi nity with gorillas, One of the world’s last mountain

who are some of our closest relatives. gorilla troops came under threat
who are some of our closest relatives.
Mountain gorillas, a particularly when oil exploration began in 2014
Mountain gorillas, a particularly
threatened subspecies, cannot survive
threatened subspecies, cannot survive at Virunga National Park in the
in captivity, but gorilla trekking is Democratic Republic of Congo. The
in captivity, but gorilla trekking is
now an established ecotourism
now an established ecotourism exploration was halted thanks to
activity, so conservation efforts can
activity, so conservation efforts can coverage in a documentary called

benefit not just gorillas but local
benefi t not just gorillas but local Virunga , which attracted international
economies too. media attention.
economies too.
880 20KG
mountain gorillas left in
mountain gorillas left in of leaves, grass and twigs
the wild eaten by a male gorilla daily
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