The Destruction of Giant pandas’ Habitats by Earthquake  2008-6-12

This morning the State Forestry Bureau held a press conference on the loss of earthquake relief in the forestry sector. State Forestry Administration Deputy Secretary Changhong Yin said, giant pandas and other animals’ major habitats have been serious destroyed. During the earthquake 49 giant panda reserve have been damaged in different degree. Large areas of habitat which is 8.3 percent of total area were damaged completely.

Mr. Chang said, the major earthquake-strike area of China is the key to biodiversity conservation area. It is also the main habitat for giant pandas. And there are about 28.5 million hectares and 83% of total area of giant pandas’ habitats on China is in disaster area. And pandas in these areas is 1,400 and 88% of total pandas. 

Up to now, one of the sixty three enclosure pandas in Wolong nature reserve and Chinese giant panda breeding researching was dead and another one is still missing. The giant pandas’ habitats in the other areas of Sichuan, Gansu, Shananxi where has been destroyed are also in the ratio of 8%-30%.