China's wild panda population nears 1,900

The population of giant pandas in the wild in China is currently around 1,900, rising from about 1,100 in the 1980s, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said Thursday.

This significant increase is largely due to China's intensified protection efforts, said Zhang Yue, an official with the administration.

The Giant Panda National Park was established in October 2021, covering a total area of over 22,000 square kilometers and providing around 72 percent of wild giant pandas with significant protection, Zhang said.

Protected areas of the giant panda habitat have grown from 1.39 million hectares to 2.58 million hectares since 2012, effectively maintaining the safety and sustainable development of the wild panda population, data from the administration showed.