Pandas at risk from Chinese vineyards
Pandas at risk from Chinese vineyards
May 7, 2013 6(TheDrinksBusiness) - The habitats of endangered giant pandas are being threatened by planned vineyard plantings in the Chinese provinces of Shaanxi and Sichuan.
According to the South China Morning Post, authorities in Shaanxi plan to plant 18,000 hectares of vineyards, and similar schemes are in the pipeline for Sichuan, putting the 1,600 wild giant pandas that inhabit the provinces at risk.
While the Chinese government has set up reserves for giant pandas, the animals don’t always remain inside them.
“Vineyards around a panda reserve can definitely affect the animals.
“Pandas move outside of reserves, so the forest outside is an important habitat. If forest is cleared to plant grapes, there may be direct loss of panda habitat,” climate change specialist Dr. Lee Hannah said in a study of the impacts of climate change on wine production and conservation.
“If grapes are grown on land used for grazing, livestock may be displaced into panda habitats,” Hannah added.
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