Panda is on the endangered species list. It has been categorized in the IUCN list and faces the danger of being extinct. Among the things that make it endangered is that it is threatened by continued habitat loss. Pandas are also characterized by very low birth rate, which means that their numbers will continue to decrease with time. It has also become a target for poaching in those areas where they exist (Johnson and Bonnie 67).
There are various benefits that would come along with saving Pandas. Among them is that these species are culturally and economically viable. In countries like China, they are a national symbol of economic benefits. The economic benefits derived under this respect come as a result of the tourism aspect associated with the species. Communities tend to gain income through ecotourism. Many people tend to find pandas fascinating in one way or another. They are cute; there is no question about that. People are obsessed with the black and white fuzzy faces. They can even watch Youtube videos of them over and over. As a result, they are willing to pay some good amount of money just to view them. Funds derived from this venture can help the communities in different ways. They can be channeled in various developmental projects that will bring progress to the communities involved (Johnson and Bonnie 76).
Another reason why it is important to save pandas is that it will also help in saving the unique forests that they live in. Their habitat is being encroached and one way of preserving the species is ensuring that it is restored. Restoration of the habitat will mean that a variety of other species that live within the habitat have also been preserved. These include species like beautiful multi-colored pheasants and dwarf blue sheep (Royston 23). Other endangered animals like ibis and snub-nosed monkey, which live in these forests, will be preserved too.
There are no significant risks to the environment associated with saving panda. One could argue that they feed on bamboos hence risk exhausting the plant. However, that is not possible because bamboo is among the fastest growing grasses on earth. The only major risk is that conservation of pandas can be quite expensive. It will be a risk if a huge amount of funds was invested towards conserving these species and neglecting other areas. There are definitely other areas of the environment where this similar amount can be invested and result to substantial gains (Royston 41). Another risk to the environment is that pandas tend to bring about an imbalance in the animals food-chain. 99% of their food is composed of bamboos. They do not feed on other animals, and neither are they fed on. This creates some gaps making them seem redundant in the animals’ food-chain.
The worst case scenario that would happen if these species are not saved is that they will become extinct. People that have been depending on them for income on the basis of ecotourism will stand to lose. However, on the environmental aspect there is not much to lose.
The feasibility to save panda is dependent on how the people involved view the issue. If they see it as something of sentimental value; something that people love and would want to be associated with, it will be feasible to save panda. This is because they will be going on instincts and acting as concerned human beings. As a human being one is expected to be compassionate and have value for life. However, if the economic part of it is put into consideration, saving pandas is not feasible. This is because a lot of cost is usually incurred while conserving these species. The value that they add is not close to these costs. Many people would argue that the funds should be used in other productive activities that can help people directly (Royston 44).
There are various actions that can be used to save panda. They include creation of new reserves that are dedicated to ensuring that pandas remain safe and are provided with all the necessary resources. This will ensure that they have been protected from poaching and habitat loss. The action does not portray any unsafe repercussions. Assisted reproduction effort would also be another way of ensuring that pandas are saved. This would entail actions such as artificial insemination in an attempt of increasing the species population (Schaller 2). It would be a favorable approach since among the issues that might result to the extinction of pandas is their low birth rates. This action is safe. It has been practiced on other animal species and it works quite well.
Works Cited
Johnson, Judy and Bonnie, Krueger. Saving the Pandas: Ready-To-Use Activities for Substitute Teachers. Dayton: Lorenz Educational, 2010. Print.
Royston, Angela. Save the Giant Panda. Rosen Group, 2013. Print.
Schaller, George. “Saving the Giant Panda: Still at a Critical Stage.” Advocacy for Animals 4.2 (2014): 3. Print.
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