China is now an economic powerhouse, but its iconic species are threatened as never before. The giant panda is a potent symbol of conservation and one of the world's most endearing species, but saving the panda entirely depends on conserving the bamboo on which it survives. WWF is helping to ensure that the forests are preserved, and that the people who live around them have improved and sustainable lifestyles without having to damage their natural surrounding.


Funds generated from viewers votes will help combat illegal and unsustainable activities by establishing effective management of protected areas and corridors, and forest restoration in priority panda landscapes. Pressure on the environment will be reduced though our work in targeted communities to diversify income generation and through energy-saving measures to reduce the requirement for firewood. More than 1,300 pandas are expected to benefit from this funding.


The wet dense forests of the Minshan mountains are last stronghold of the giant panda. Half of all known plant species in China can be found in these forests.

There are an estimated 1,000 tree species and more than 2,100 species of ornamental flowering plants. Many rare traditional Asian medicine plants grow in Minshan and the increasing demand for these has led to further disturbance of the area. The giant panda shares its habitat with the clouded leopard, golden monkey, takin, red panda, the Sichuan woody owl and the gloriously named Wenxian knobby newt.

Pressure comes from the 4.6 million people living in Minshan, 80% of whom are farmers.