ASEANâs five core countries -- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand -- have been growing as fast as any other regional grouping in the world over the past five years. Impressive as this pack has been, two of its members have stood out as particularly promising. Giant Indonesia soared during the last half decade, boasting high growth, low inflation, an extremely low debt-to-GDP ratio, strong foreign exchange reserves, and a top-performing stock market. But it is the Philippines, the regionâs other archipelago, that is now providing the biggest upside surprise.
Those statistics say there are now 1,864 wild giant pandas living in central Chinaâs Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu Provinces. Thatâs up from 1,596 estimated animals in a 2003 report, the last time giant pandas were surveyed. However, some in the conservation community suggest that the new numbers may be due in part to wider surveying and an improvement in surveying techniques, though few doubt the upward trajectory reported by the Chinese.
Giant Panda. Ailuropoda melanoleuca. As Chinaâs unofficial mascot and the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund, the giant panda is one of the most beloved animals in the world. It is also one of the more endangered species in the world, with only about 1000-2000 living in the wild.iant pandas are currently classified on IUCNâs Red List as an endangered species. One the main reasons that pandas have become endangered is habitat destruction. As the population in China continues to grow, pandasâ habitat gets taken over by development, pushing them into smaller and less livable areas.