2 WAZA 1/16 WAZA 1/16 3 Kathy Traylor‑Holzer1 and Jonathan D. Ballou2 Is Conservation Really Black and White? Giant pandas. Most people, daresay The Past – the 1970s (Nicholls 2011). The resulting everyone reading this article, have an the 1980s and before state gifts and eventual breeding loans immediate internal response to this of panda pairs have had widespread species. What is your initial reaction? The giant panda has long been international impacts beyond the sur- Is it positive? Or negative? Conserva- shrouded in mystery. Restricted to vival of this single species and helped tion success, or failure? How much remote mountainous areas of west- to open China to the world. do you really know about this unique ern China, amazingly this species was species and its journey toward pres- unknown to all except local residents For zoos receiving these high profile ervation? until 1869, even within China. This animals, however, breeding giant carnivore that eats bamboo and ap- pandas posed challenges. Difficulties Few species spark as much emotion pears to have an opposable‘ thumb’ in breeding a solitary species with a and debate, and frequent misper- confused taxonomists and challenged short breeding season (1–2 day estrus ception, as the giant panda. Among early attempts to maintain captive once a year) and delayed implantation, © Kathy Traylor-Holzer the general public it is a much loved specimens, adding to its mystic. Few combined with behavioral issues such Pan Pan (ISB# 308), a 30‑year‑old wild‑caught founder now retired at the Dujiang- yan giant panda base, was an infamously prolific male, siring 29 cubs in 17 litters icon subject to frequent anthropo- individuals made it out of China for as inexperience, incompatibility and and accounting for 9% of the genetic composition of the current ex situ population. morphism and occasional fanaticism. decades, making it a rare and little disinterest, led to frequent repro- The Beginning – the 1990s Biologists often think of it as a spe- understood curiosity. All of that ductive failure. Newborn cubs are cies fraught with reproductive issues changed with Mao Zedong. extremely small and altricial, which At first, successful reproduction was and by State Forestry Administration 61 giant pandas at the major Chinese and restrictive dietary requirements contributed to low survival. Public slow and there were few surviving (SFA) facilities such as Wolong. While breeding facilities during 1998‑2000 that threaten its survival. For many Its striking physical appeal and en- perception was, and often still is, that cubs. By 1980 the worldwide captive institutions from these two different identified behavioral, nutritional and conservationists, it is viewed as a demism combined with its absence giant pandas reproduce poorly and population had grown to 100 pandas, government ministries cooperated, health issues contributing to low drain on limited resources for conser- from historic Chinese culture such as are not viable long term in captivity. but most of the population was wild there was no single, overall manage- reproductive success. Additional col- vation with little return. But for many paintings and literature placed the gi- That indeed was the case at one time. born. Population size remained at ment strategy. Recognizing the need laborations addressed health, capac- of us close to this species, the giant ant panda in a unique position during All that has changed – and it is due 100-115 pandas for many years, with for a scientifically‑based captive man- ity building and other issues. This fed panda is an emerging conservation the Culture Revolution. While Mao primarily to extensive collaboration on births just compensating for fewer agement plan, Chinese managers into a CBSG-led workshop in early success story that demonstrates the declared a‘ war against nature’ and re- an international scale toward com- captures from the wild to prevent invited the IUCN SSC Conservation 2002 that established the structure benefits of comprehensive planning jected most cultural icons such as the mon conservation goals and fueled by decline. But in 1997 something Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) to of a Chinese scientific management and extensive collaboration that can Chinese tiger (Shapiro 2001), the giant science. Each of the many partners in noteworthy happened – for the first facilitate the development of such a committee that meets annually to conserve a species, and possibly even panda was embraced as a symbol of this decades‑long effort has its own time, and ever since, the number of plan. No stranger to China, CBSG had share management and research more. Let us explain. modern China and acted as a catalyst, rich story to tell. Here we present one captive‑born giant pandas in captivity facilitated the development of a stud- achievements and to develop each along with table tennis, to bridge rela- aspect in which we have been involved exceeded the number of wild‑born in- book and masterplan for the Critically year’s breeding plan (see Wildt et al. tions between China and the West in as population management advisors dividuals. Soon after, the population Endangered South China tiger just 2006 for more details). to the global ex situ population. began to grow and become demo- a year earlier in 1995. In late 1996, a graphically sustainable. The future of CBSG-led team headed to Chengdu We (the authors) were fortunate the species in zoos was changed by to begin this process for giant pandas. enough to participate in that inaugu- a series of collaborative events that ral 2002 meeting and have provided Figure 1 began in 1996 in Chengdu, China. Chinese workshop participants population management advice to acknowledged their challenges and the global giant panda program each Census of the giant panda By the mid-1990s, several Chinese agreed that their goal was “to de- year thereafter. Along the way we global captive population by origin from the 2015 facilities were breeding giant pandas. velop a self-sustaining population of have witnessed its transformation International Studbook However, only a few adults were suc- giant pandas that will assist support- into a well‑managed, viable popula- (data from Xie 2015). cessful breeders, thereby failing to ing a long‑term, viable population tion that can contribute to the secu- capture genes from most wild-caught in the wild” – a vision beyond the rity and recovery of this endangered pandas and limiting population exhibition of pandas in zoos. Interna- species. growth. Neonatal mortality, nutrition tional experts assisted in the analysis and health issues also plagued the of problems related to reproduction population. A further complication and health as well as infrastructure was that captive pandas in China and capacity building needs. While 1 IUCN SSC Conservation were managed both in zoological the challenges were great, so was the Breeding Specialist Group institutions (by the Chinese Associa- potential for success, and motiva- 2 Smithsonian Conservation tion of Zoological Gardens – CAZG) tion was high. A biomedical survey of Biology Institute 4 WAZA 1/16 WAZA 1/16 5 North America 17 pandas China 366 pandas • Jinbao Paradise • Wenzhou Zoological Gardens • San Diego Zoo | US • Anji Bamboo Gardens • Langzhong Panda Paradise • Wolong Gengda • Memphis Zoo | US • Anyang Zoological Garden • Lanzhou Zoo Giant Panda Base • Zoo Atlanta | US • Baoxing Education Center • Linyi Botanical Garden • Wolong Hetaoping • National Zoological Park | US • Beijing Zoological Gardens • Liugongdao Park Giant Panda Base • Toronto Zoo | Canada • Changsha Ecological Zoo • Liuzhou Zoo • Wuhan Zoo • Chapultapec Zoo | Mexico • Chengdu Research Base • Nanchang Zoological Garden • Wuxi Zoological Garden of Giant Panda Breeding • Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo • Xiazhuhu National Europe 11 pandas • Chengdu Zoological Garden • Ningbo Zoological Garden Everglade Park • Edinburgh Zoo | Scotland • Chongqing Zoological Garden • Northeast Tiger Garden • Xiuning Giant Panda • Pairi Daiza Zoo | Belgium • Dafeng Zoo • Panyu Xiangjiang Safari Park Ecological Park • Tiergarten Schönbrunn | Austria • Dalian Forest Zoo • Qingdao Zoological Gardens • Xixiakou Wild Animal Park • Zoo de Beauval | France • Dujiangyan Giant Panda Base • Sanjiang Ecological Tourism • Ya’an Bifengxia • Zoo Aquarium de Madrid | Spain • Emei Xianzhizhujian Zone Giant Panda Base Ecological Park • Shanghai Wild Animal Park • Yangzhou Zoological Garden Asia outside of mainland China • Fuzhou Giant Panda • Shanghai Zoological Garden • Yichang Children’s + Australia & Oceania • Shanxi Rare Wildlife Research Zoological Garden 27 pandas Research Center • Guangzhou Zoological Garden Center • Zibo Yuanshan National • Ocean Park | Hong Kong • Shenzhen Safari Park Forest Park • Seac Pai Van Park | Macau • Guilin Qixing Park Zoo • Guizhou Forest • Shijizhuang Zoo Figure 2 • Taipei Zoo | Taiwan • Taihu Everglade Park • Chiangmai Zoo | Thailand Wild Animal Park • Hangzhou Wild Animal Park • Taiyuan Zoological Garden Giant pandas currently • Zoo Negara | Malaysia • Tianjin Fude Zoo in zoos worldwide. • River Safari | Singapore • Hangzhou Zoological Garden • Hefei Wild Animal Park • Tianjin Zoological Park • Tokyo Ueno Zoo | Japan • Tianmuhu Garden • Kobe Oji Zoo | Japan • Huaying Mountain Giant Panda Wild Training Base • Wenling Changyu Dongtian • Adventure World | Japan Scenic Spot • Adelaide Zoo | Australia • Jinan Zoo The Present – 2000 to 2015 A One Plan Approach Over the past 14 years the giant Improved understanding of factors An