Discusses the conservation, history, geographic distribution, activity patterns, feeding habits, and social behavior of Chinese giant pandas.

Combines the latest findings from the field and the laboratory with panel and workshop summaries from a recent international conference.

Understanding the complex relationships between humans and the natural world is essential for achieving environmental sustainability and improving human well-being, yet many studies are unable to reveal complex interactions and hidden trends. This is the first book to synthesize the findings and approaches of long-term integrated research in a model coupled human and natural system, and to illustrate their applications to regional, national, and global scales. It features a classic long-term interdisciplinary research project in the Wolong Nature Reserve of China, which contains one of the largest wild populations of the world-famous endangered giant pandas. Bringing together a team of contributors from both the natural and social sciences, this book explores how a long-term interdisciplinary and model system approach is essential to uncover the common patterns and mechanisms of coupled systems, to develop ideas and methods for studying and managing other coupled systems, and ultimately to contribute to the development of theories about coupled systems for sustainability. Pandas and People will be essential reading for scholars interested in the interface of the natural and social sciences, including ecologists, conservation biologists, environmental scientists, sustainability scientists, wildlife biologists, forest scientists, sociologists, anthropologists, economists, and political scientists. It will also be a valuable reference for policy makers, natural resource managers, and graduate students.

Photographs and text depict characteristics, habitat, and behavior of giant pandas, including feeding habits and reproduction, as well as current efforts to protect and breed them in captivity.

From 1984 through 1995 a small band of ecologists led by Pan Wenshi from Peking University conducted a study of wild giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province. This project was the first Chinese-led conservation project in China and was conducted during a significant transition period in Chinese history, as the country opened its society and science to the world. The project focused on behavioral observation of wild giant pandas, but evolved to include physiology, nutrition, ecology, land-use policy, and population biology as the staff became more aware that the issues with captive pandas (assisted reproduction, unusual diet, and genetic inbreeding) were not the most critical to survival of wild populations. It is evident in this work that, as the scientists gained knowledge, they came to see giant panda conservation as wrapped in landscape ecology and human/wildlife interactions. The group was seminal in the Chinese government's enactment of a logging ban to their study area by advocating for pandas at the national level. The project was summarized in a 2001 volume, but its publication in Mandarin limited its influence on the greater conservation community. This English version of the original work translates, condenses, and refines the original volume, with added contextual chapters on the importance of this volume and how our understanding of giant panda conservation is shaped by this pioneering field work.

An introduction to the habitat, physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle of the giant panda, an endangered type of bear which lives in the mountain forests of southwestern China.

In this book, the author gathered together all the latest evidence and progress in the scientific studies of panda’s past, present and future, especially how he has introduced advanced scientific techniques such as population genomics, metagenomics and evolutionary genomics into the study of wild pandas. These scientific stories systematically unveiled the evolutionary history, adaptive strategy, cause of endangerment, and evolutionary potential of the giant panda under environmental changes and anthropogenic pressure, highlighting its evolution in every aspect of its body and behavior to adapt the transition to specialized bamboo diet. With illustrative examples and plentiful photographs taken in the wild, the secret life of pandas and the science behind are sure to satisfy reader's curiosity. Among the other things, this book gives answers to the frequently asked questions of whether the panda is an “evolutionary cul-de-sac” and whether there remains hope for them to survive and enjoy a brighter future. The giant panda is a well-known flagship species in the field of conservation science for its unique appeal and specialized characteristics. Besides, it is also an ideal model for researchers to understand adaptive evolution. Over the past thirty years, the author and leading conservation scientist Dr. Fuwen Wei, has been focusing on the research and conservation of wild pandas in China.