The giant panda has been removed from the list of endangered animals. The International Union for Conservation of Nature now classifies the panda as “vulnerable.” Panda numbers have increased in the wild in southern China.

At the end of 2015, the panda population reached 1,864 increasing from about 1,100 in 2000. The increase is attributed to China’s environmental initiatives. These include the establishment of nature reserves and a strict enforcement of poaching bans.

China’s Forestry Ministry, however, says the change in the panda's status comes way too early. SFA stresses that the animal’s survival remains in threat. Climate change is expected to wipe out more than one-third of the panda’s bamboo habitat.