Integrating Livestock Grazing and Sympatric Takin to Evaluate the Habitat Suitability of Giant Panda in the Wanglang Nature Reserve

Habitat suitability provides essential information for the management of protected species. However, studies that jointly consider the impacts of human disturbance and sympatric animals in habitat suitability assessments of giant panda are limited, which may overestimate the habitat status. To address this issue, we evaluated the habitat suitability of giant panda in Wanglang Nature Reserve by simultaneously investigating livestock grazing and sympatric takin via MAXENT, a new attempt at the assessment of the habitat suitability of giant panda. We focused on describing the habitat suitability of giant panda and determining the habitat overlap between livestock, takin, and panda to evaluate the impacts of livestock grazing and sympatric takin on the suitable giant panda habitat. Results revealed that only 16.33% of the area in Wanglang was suitable giant panda habitat, of which 67.66% was shared by livestock, and 97.99% of the remaining suitable panda habitat not shared by livestock was revealed to be shared by takin. The results indicate an unfavorable habitat status of giant panda in Wanglang, with the potential extensive habitat overlap between livestock, takin and panda exerting further pressure. Thus, to effectively protect giant pandas and their habitats, grazing activity should be controlled. Furthermore, to accurately protect sympatric animals, the monitoring of panda and takin activities in the overlapping areas must be maintained.

Pandas Are Red

Many advances gained in nature protection efforts during the early 1960s were brought to a screeching halt with the onset of China’s Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). The Wanglang Nature Reserve, however, hosted representatives from China’s top scientific institutes on the first species-specific giant panda survey in 1967. This event brings to light a narrative parallel to the well-known “decade of chaos”. During this era the government endorsed many scientific endeavors designed to highlight the glory of China’s nature and advertise its scientific prowess. In addition to being a scientific subject, the giant panda also became a popular expression of nationalism during this era. The giant panda was repeatedly reproduced as a politically safe image and demonstrated surprising durability against the ever-changing political winds of this decade.