Director of the Giant Panda and Wildlife Conservation
Research Center at Peking University, Pan Wenshi get achievements on
behalf of panda conservation over a career spanning nearly 40 years and
for his most recent efforts to convince the Chinese government to impose
a logging moratorium in the Changqing area of the northern Qinling
mountains, an important panda habitat.
Prof. Pan first proved that in contrast to captive pandas, pandas in the
wild reproduce at a relatively high rate comparable to that of the
American black bear.
One of biggest threats to the panda today remains habitat loss from
logging and other economic activities. Professor Pan bought the public
attention to the area of Changqing and played a very important role in
the establishment of the Changqing Nature Reserve.
Pan's argument that bamboo flowering and dying was not a determining
factor in relation to the pandas' survival was later confirmed by field
observations. Meanwhile, Pan had found life's work--helping pandas
survive in the wild.
Researchers previously thought that a dominant male won breeding
rights, but females in Pan's study group have mated with four or more
males in a season. While pandas have proved notoriously hard to breed in
captivity. Pan has corroborated that they can reproduce well in the
wild. DNA tests on pandas in the wild have revealed a good genetic
diversity.
|