In 2016, a new “population census” of large pandas was conducted and, according to its results, it turned out that the number of pandas in the world increased to 1,864 animals inhabiting the wild. This means that over the past 12 years it has been possible not only to preserve, but also to increase the population of these animals by 17%.
The number of pandas kept in captivity also increased and now amounts to 194 individuals. That is, today we know exactly how many pandas are left in the world – their 2060 animals. Two-thirds of them now live in protected areas in 67 nature parks. The Chinese government plans to increase their numbers further.
Since the small panda is also included in the Red Book (also on the “black” list), it is not difficult to guess that the number of red pandas in the world is very small. Moreover, the population of small pandas is getting smaller and smaller, mainly due to deforestation and poaching.
It is not possible to say exactly how many small pandas live in the world, but the most probable number is from 3.5 to 5 thousand animals. Some researchers estimate their population even more modestly – in 2-2,5 thousand individuals. Others, on the contrary, tend to believe that there are still about 10,000 left, but this is highly unlikely. It is difficult to determine the exact number of these animals because this animal lives in hard-to-reach mountain regions, is extremely secretive, perfectly camouflaged and small in size (approximately like a domestic cat).
