Our Earth supports lots of different plant and animal species. With more and more humans changing the environment, other species become extinct faster than they have in the past. In fact, plant and animal species are disappearing at least 1,000 times faster than at any other time in the last 65 million years. As humans take up more and more space on the planet, we destroy the habitats of other animals and plants. This is the biggest reason why animals are becoming extinct today.
The report on panda's condition is a case in point.

TOURISM LEADS TO PANDA DECLINE
The panda population at one of China's most prestigious nature parks — the Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province — has declined dramatically over the reserve's quarter-century existence.
The number of wild pandas there dropped by half — from 145 to 72 — during the park's first 11 years. The population now is probably even smaller.
Experts found that an important cause of the decline in numbers at Wolong was the destruction of the densely-forested land and bamboo cover that make up high-quality panda habitats.
Far more striking, researchers also found that these prime habitats within the reserve are disappearing as fast as, or faster than, in unprotected areas outside the park.
Among the reasons for this apparent contradiction is tourism.
An researcher says: "Tourists come, they take their summer vacations there and stimulate the local economy, which in turn uses more local natural resources."

Related Information
How many pandas are left in the world? The short answer to the question is, "about a thousand." But you may hear a variety of figures. The more truthful answer is, "we don't really know."

The Giant Panda's Decline
The three maps show how the distribution of giant pandas has declined over time.