The giant panda is one of the world's most charismatic
endangered species and has an emblematic status for the
conservation movement worldwide. Its attraction stems in part
from its elusive nature: A wary creature with an unusual dietary
dependence on bamboos, it is now found only in a restricted
mountainous region in China. These characteristics have also
shielded important knowledge needed to save the panda from
extinction. Understanding population trends for giant pandas has
been a major task for conservation authorities in China for the
past thirty years, during which three increasingly sophisticated
national surveys were carried out. The first two revealed
alarming evidence for declines across the giant panda's range.
However, the most recent survey, completed in 2002, showed the
first evidence of a recovery, thanks largely to protection
measures taken by the Chinese government, including support for
a network of natural reserves and strictly enforced bans on
poaching and deforestation. Nonetheless, give