More panda of the previewed
2006/06/22 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia
The Panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a symbol of the WWF organization. The organization has used the image of this animal to warn the public that some species are in danger of extinction and that it is necessary to protect them and their place of residence.
Now, panda is again the protagonist of the scientific news. And there are more bears than scientists thought of the Wanglang nature reserve, the most significant of the Chinese pandas.
The last computation was made in 1998, and since then it seems that the population has doubled. However, the way of counting can also influence. In fact, panda bears are based on the counting feces. The animals that were previously identified according to the remains that were in the dejections, have now been much more precise, since they have studied the DNA found in the bed of the excrements. Thus they discover that there are 66 panda, 35 males and 31 females.
Zoologists do not know if that amount is sufficient to liberate the species from the danger of extinction, but are glad that recent research has shown that the situation is better than expected. The research has been directed by the University of Cardiff and its results have been published in the journal Current Biology.
Photo: WWF-Canon/M.Gunther
