Nicholls, Henry The Way of the Panda: The Curious History of China’s Political Animal. London: Profile Books (2010)
The fascinating history of the giant panda since its first ‘discovery’ by western science, and its emergence as an icon – an animal celebrity and diplomat.
Lindburg, Donald (ed.) Giant Pandas: Biology and Conservation. Berkeley: University of California Press (2004)
Thanks to the efforts of Chinese and western scientists and conservationists, the panda is no longer quite so mysterious as it was – or quite so rare. An international team of researchers brings us up to speed in this definitive study.
Angel, Heather Giant Pandas (Wildlife Monographs). London: Evans Mitchell Books (2005)
Heather Angel’s photos are the main attraction in this beautiful study of the giant panda in the wild, though a fascinating text really shouldn’t be ignored.
Pan W, Lü Z.. (1993), ‘The Giant Panda’, in I. Stirling (ed,), Bears: Majestic Creatures of the Wild. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press.
The panda takes its place amongst its ursine relatives – a remarkably motley crew – in this enthralling, and stunningly illustrated, study.
Schwarzenback, Alexis, Saving the World’s Wildlife: The WWF’s First Fifty Years (World Wildlife Fund). London: Profile Books (2011)
An absorbing history of the World Wildlife Fund, its ups and downs, its traumas and its triumphs – and, of course, of how the panda became its poster-bear.
Train, Russell E., Politics, Pollution, and Pandas: An Environmental Memoir. Washington: Island Press (2003)
A former chairman of the World Wildlife Fund reflects on a lifetime’s work bringing conservation issues into the US political mainstream.
Lippe, Danielle, Giant Panda Conservation: An Analysis of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CITES and the Endangered Species Act ESA. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag (2008)
Impressive efforts have been made to promote panda conservation on the ground in China. This important study considers the measures taken to curb the continuing trade in these magnificent animals overseas.
A leading international conservation body working to protect endangered species and promote biodiversity. In 1961 WWF adopted a giant panda as its symbol, and the organisation has been actively involved in the protection of giant pandas since 1980.
Opened in 1987 by the Chinese government, with the backing of WWF, this is the world’s leading centre dedicated to scientific research on panda breeding and conservation, as well as to public education about the species.
A branch of the China Conservation & Research Center for the Giant Panda, (CCRCGP), Wolong.
Part of the Wolong Panda Breeding and Research Centre, this centre was set up in 2010 to prepare pandas bred in captivity for their release into the wild.
Originally established to home injured and orphaned pandas and other wildlife from the Qinling mountain area.
One of the oldest panda research centres in China, Fuzhou protects red pandas as well as giant pandas and has facilities for visitors including a panda museum.
Covering a combined area of 9245km2, the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries consist of seven nature reserves (including Wolong National Nature Reserve, see below) and nine scenic parks in the Qionglai and Jiajin mountains of south-western Sichuan. Home to more than 30 per cent of the world’s pandas, the sanctuaries became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.
One of the UNESCO Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, Wolong National Nature Reserve is home to more than 150 giant pandas, as well as golden snub-nosed monkeys, red pandas and other endangered species. Established in 1963, the reserve is a popular tourist attraction. A dedicated panda breeding and research centre was established there in 1980. The centre was seriously damaged by earthquake in 2008, and pandas moved to Chengdu and Bifengxia. Plans for a new China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) is in development within the Wolong Nature Reserve, but some miles away from the original site.
Although not included in the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, Wanglang is home to more than 30 giant pandas. The reserve was established in 1963 by the Sichuan Forestry Bureau and attracts visitors looking for the elusive giant panda.
Located in Shaanxi Province, Foping’s large, approximately 350km2, reserve is home to 300 species of wild animals, including the giant panda.
A website dedicated to providing information about giant pandas and links to the zoos around the world that have them.