Global breeding programme benefits wild panda conservation

Abstract

Giant panda conservation is often considered a global success story. Through habitat protection and a breeding programme that is bolstered by over 20 zoos worldwide, panda populations have been increasing and their extinction risk level was downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ in 2016 (ref. ¹). However, a series of recent investigative reports published by the New York Times^2,3,4 raised doubts over the integrity of the global panda breeding programme. Although we commend the investigation for highlighting some issues that have previously been overlooked, we contend that this reporting misrepresents the breeding programme and its conservation effects. Indeed, most of the critiques of the reports were based on practices that were occurring more than two decades ago, despite being presented as the current situation.

Overall, the reports criticize the panda breeding programme as being primarily driven by financial gain and political leverage, and argue that the programme has failed to fulfil its commitments to panda reintroduction and uphold animal welfare during artificial breeding procedures. Although China has indeed leveraged the programme to foster international collaborations and participating zoos have benefited from increased visitations due to pandas, the programme has nonetheless made substantial contributions to the conservation of giant pandas in the wild. Here, we clarify three key points to rectify these misconceptions.