Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The giant panda as a social, biological and conservation phenomenon
- 2 The Giant Panda Biomedical Survey: how it began and the value of people working together across cultures and disciplines
- 3 Factors limiting reproductive success in the giant panda as revealed by a Biomedical Survey
- 4 Significant medical issues and biological reference values for giant pandas from the Biomedical Survey
- 5 Life histories and behavioural traits as predictors of breeding status
- 6 Nutrition and dietary husbandry
- 7 Male reproductive biology in giant pandas in breeding programmes in China
- 8 Endocrinology of the giant panda and application of hormone technology to species management
- 9 The value and significance of vaginal cytology
- 10 Parentage assessment among captive giant pandas in China
- 11 The science of behavioural management: creating biologically relevant living environments in captivity
- 12 Evaluating stress and well-being in the giant panda: a system for monitoring
- 13 The neonatal giant panda: hand-rearing and medical management
- 14 Consequences of early rearing on socialization and social competence of the giant panda
- 15 Medical management of captive adult and geriatric giant pandas
- 16 Diseases and pathology of giant pandas
- 17 Ultrasonography to assess and enhance health and reproduction in the giant panda
- 18 Gastrointestinal endoscopy in the giant panda
- 19 Historical perspective of breeding giant pandas ex situ in China and high priorities for the future
- 20 Role and efficiency of artificial insemination and genome resource banking
- 21 Analysis of demographic and genetic trends for developing a captive breeding masterplan for the giant panda
- 22 Partnerships and capacity building for securing giant pandas ex situ and in situ: how zoos are contributing to conservation
- Index
- Plate Section
- References
1 - The giant panda as a social, biological and conservation phenomenon
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 August 2009
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The giant panda as a social, biological and conservation phenomenon
- 2 The Giant Panda Biomedical Survey: how it began and the value of people working together across cultures and disciplines
- 3 Factors limiting reproductive success in the giant panda as revealed by a Biomedical Survey
- 4 Significant medical issues and biological reference values for giant pandas from the Biomedical Survey
- 5 Life histories and behavioural traits as predictors of breeding status
- 6 Nutrition and dietary husbandry
- 7 Male reproductive biology in giant pandas in breeding programmes in China
- 8 Endocrinology of the giant panda and application of hormone technology to species management
- 9 The value and significance of vaginal cytology
- 10 Parentage assessment among captive giant pandas in China
- 11 The science of behavioural management: creating biologically relevant living environments in captivity
- 12 Evaluating stress and well-being in the giant panda: a system for monitoring
- 13 The neonatal giant panda: hand-rearing and medical management
- 14 Consequences of early rearing on socialization and social competence of the giant panda
- 15 Medical management of captive adult and geriatric giant pandas
- 16 Diseases and pathology of giant pandas
- 17 Ultrasonography to assess and enhance health and reproduction in the giant panda
- 18 Gastrointestinal endoscopy in the giant panda
- 19 Historical perspective of breeding giant pandas ex situ in China and high priorities for the future
- 20 Role and efficiency of artificial insemination and genome resource banking
- 21 Analysis of demographic and genetic trends for developing a captive breeding masterplan for the giant panda
- 22 Partnerships and capacity building for securing giant pandas ex situ and in situ: how zoos are contributing to conservation
- Index
- Plate Section
- References
Summary
INTRODUCTION
The giant panda has captured the world's imagination. Its seemingly harmless, playful nature, velvety black and white fur, flat face, softly rounded body and soulful black eye patches combine to make it resemble an oversized and loveable teddy bear (Fig. 1.1). Its upright posture and famous ‘panda's thumb’ – an elongation of the wrist bone that allows it to grasp bamboo and other food much like people do – further adds to its widespread appeal. From the most prominent government authorities to young children, people are passionate about protecting the giant panda. This fervent interest has caused the panda to emerge as the most highly visible of all endangered species, even though few people have actually ever seen one in the wild. Furthermore, this single species has become a worldwide icon for the need to conserve animals, plants and habitats. Therefore, it is ironic that the giant panda, which evokes so much attention by the public, scientific and conservation communities, still remains such a mystery with so many pieces still missing from a biological jigsaw puzzle that, if solved, could improve species management, welfare and conservation. The purpose of this book is to provide, and then assemble, a few more pieces of this enormous puzzle.
WHY THE GIANT PANDA IS UNIQUE AMONG SPECIES, ESPECIALLY BEARS
Within China, the giant panda often is called daxiongmao by local people, literally ‘large bear-cat’ in Chinese (Schaller et al., 1985). Its scientific name Ailuropoda melanoleuca actually means black and white cat-footed bear.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Giant PandasBiology, Veterinary Medicine and Management, pp. 1 - 16Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006
References
and (1995). Tools of the trade to aid decision-making for species survival. Biological Conservation, 4, 553–72.Google Scholar
(1982). The Panda's Thumb: More Reflections in Natural History. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Co.Google Scholar
Hu, J. and Qiu, X. (1990). History and progress of breeding and rearing giant pandas in captivity outside China. In Research and Progress in the Biology of the Giant Panda, ed. , , and . Chengdu, China: Sichuan Publishing House of Science and Technology, pp. 326–33.Google Scholar
Liu, J., Ouyang, Z., Yang, Z. et al. (1997). Human factors and panda habitat change in the Wolong Nature Reserve. Proceedings, Ecological Society of America, 1997 Annual Meeting, Albuquerque.
Lu, Z., Pan, W., Zhu, X., Wang, D. and Wang, H. (2000). What has the panda taught us? In Priorities for the Conservation of Mammalian Diversity: Has the Panda Had Its Day?, ed. and : Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 325–34.Google Scholar
, , et al. (2001). Patterns of genetic diversity in remaining giant panda populations. Conservation Biology, 15, 1596–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, Ed., (1997). Proceedings of the International Workshop on the Feasibility of Giant Panda Re-introduction, Wolong Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China, 25–29 September. Beijing: China Forestry Publishing House (in Chinese and English).Google Scholar
and (1983). Walker's Mammals of the World, 4th edn. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 976–7.Google Scholar
Pan, W. and Lu, Z. (1993). The giant panda. In Bears: A Complete Guide to Every Species. Majestic Creatures of the Wild, ed. . London: Harper Collins, pp. 140–5.Google Scholar
, , , et al. (1998). Milk composition and nursing in a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Acta-Scientiarum-Naturalium- Universitatis-Pekinensis, 34, 350–1.Google Scholar
, , , and (1989). Giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca behavior and carrying capacity following a bamboo die-off. Biological Conservation, 49, 85–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaller, G., Tang, Q., Johnson, K. et al. (1989). The feeding ecology of giant panda and Asiatic black bear in the Tangjiahe Reserve, China. In Carnivore Behavior, Ecology and Evolution, ed. . Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, pp. 212–41.Google Scholar
(1975). The Wilderness Home of the Giant Panda. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press.Google Scholar
and (2003). The 2003 International Studbook for Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Beijing: Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens.Google Scholar
, and (2004). An evaluation of the behavioral factors influencing reproductive success and failure in captive giant pandas. Zoo Biology, 23, 15–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
, , , and (1997). Report of the Giant Panda Captive Management Planning Workshop. Apple Valley, MN: IUCN–World Conservation Union/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group.Google Scholar
- 7
- Cited by