The 2015 Annual Conference of Chinese Committee of Breeding Techniques for Giant Pandas
Great achievements have been made in the breeding, scientific research, international cooperation, protection and education and facility construction for captive giant pandas worldwide under the guidance, care and support of the State Forestry Administration, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens, China Wild Plant Conservation Association and forestry, garden and technology departments at provincial level as well as through the joint efforts of agencies and organizations for giant panda protection both at home and abroad and enthusiastic public, and organization and coordination by the Chinese Committee of Breeding Techniques for Giant Pandas.
There were only 92 giant pandas in captivity in 1989 when the Committee of Breeding Techniques for Giant Pandas was founded. After 26 years of persistent effort, the number of giant pandas in captivity has increased to 425 as of November 1, 2015. Forty-three cubs were born in 28 litters in giant panda breeding facilities in 2015, and as of November 4, 2015, 40 cubs had survived. Thirteen cubs in seven litters were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda, and all thirteen cubs survived; 24 cubs were born in 17 litters at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center, and 22 cubs survived; one cub in one litter was born and survived at Chongqing Zoo. Giant pandas females at The Toronto Zoo in Canada, Smithsonian’s National Zoo in the United States and Zoo negara in Malaysia also successfully gave birth. The survival rate of giant panda cubs was 93.02% in 2015, higher than 88.2% in 2014.
The 2015 Annual Conference of Chinese Committee of Breeding Techniques for Giant Pandas opened in Dalian on November 11,2015, for the purposes of strengthening cooperation and exchange among individuals and groups involved in working with the giant panda, and promoting endangered wildlife and ecology protection in China. The conference also addressed the progress of work in the areas of breeding and protection, disease prevention and control of the giant panda population, population size expansion, genetic diversity protection, reintroduction and research of the captive giant panda, rescue and protection in wilderness, and the promotion of knowledge about the giant panda among the public. More than 100 delegates attended the conference, including Mr. Jia Jiansheng, deputy director of Wildlife Conservation Department under the State Forestry Administration, Mr. Yang Zhongcheng, chairman of Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens, Mr. Zhang Zhihe, director of Chinese Committee of Breading Techniques for Giant Pandas, Mr. Liu Aibo, director general of Urban Construction Bureau of Dalian, Mr. Pang Weide, director general of Forestry Bureau of Dalian, Mr. Liu Dewang, director of Office for Giant Panda Conservation Administration under the State Forestry Administration, Mr. Yu Mingbin, head of Dalian Forest Zoo. Delegates from the United States, Canada,Austria, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, Japan,South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, as well as Macau and Hong Kong were also present. In addition, several media outlets including CCTV were also attended the conference to provide live broadcasting and feature stories. CCTV will present full coverage of the conference, and feature stories will be aired in several programs on CCTV News and CCTV4.
Dr. Zhang Zhihe, the chairman of Chinese Committee of Breeding Techniques for Giant Pandas presided over the opening ceremony. Mr. Jia Jiansheng, the deputy director of Wildlife Conservation Department under the State Forestry Administration, opened the conference by welcoming delegates from all over the world. He outlined the major actions taken and achievements made for giant panda protection by governments at all levels in China. He also pointed out that there is more work to do for giant panda protection in several areas: conservation and recovery of giant panda habitat; enhancement of the breakthroughs in science and technology; training and promotion of giant panda management levels. Then, Mr. Yang Zhongcheng, the chairman of Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens examined the achievements made in captive giant panda breeding as well as giant panda population disease prevention and control, population size expansion, genetic diversity protection, reintroduction and research of captive giant pandas, rescue and protection in the wilderness, popularization of knowledge about giant panda among the public and other issues. Mr. Liu Aibo, the director general of Urban Construction Bureau of Dalian, spoke on a series of measures taken by Dalian City for giant panda protection. After the opening ceremony, conference delegates toured the Dalian Forest Zoo and upon returning to the conference center,took a group photo to mark the occasion.
The conference will last for three days. On November 11st, the conference will focus on issues such as the current status and future tasks for giant panda protection. wild giant panda evolution and conservation biology research, major giant pandas diseases and their prevention, wildness training and reintroduction of giant panda, and the global species management plan of the lesser panda. A report on the work of Chinese Committee of Breeding Techniques for Giant Pandas in 2015 will also be presented.On November 12, a special session on giant panda population management will review the past and discuss giant panda ex-situ conversation projects. It will evaluate the challenges and suggestions arising from the 2010 Conference, revise and confirm the current challenges being faced, determine the management strategy for breeding, and prepare the breeding plan. On November 13, a report on the enrichment and training of giant and lesser pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding will be presented.The research results of giant panda milk metabonomics and the social, economic and psychological effects on the support and willingness of the public for giant panda reintroduction projects will also be discussed.
Source: http://www.panda.org.cn/english/news/news/2015-11-16/5384.html
