Giant pandas are no longer endangered, according to experts in China.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the director of the Department of Natural Ecological Protection of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced giant pandas can now be considered vulnerable as a species. After decades of raising the number of giant pandas, their population in the wild is now up to 1,800, CNN reports.
China reportedly spent half a century building reserves across the nation in mountain ranges to prevent the species from extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) moved giant pandas off the endangered list in 2016. However, Chinese officials allegedly disagreed with the decision.
“China has established a relatively complete nature reserves system,” Cui said on Wednesday.” Large areas of natural ecosystems have been systematically and completely protected, and wildlife habitats have been effectively improved.”
Not only are giant pandas growing in population, but other species of pandas are also as well. “The number of species such as Siberian tigers, Amur leopards, Asian elephants, and crested ibis has increased significantly,” said Cui. Some of the issues the came with breeding pandas were caused by how pandas can breed. CNN reports females can only get pregnant for 24 hours to 72 hours each year.
