On Monday 4th September we were treated to the delightful news that Giant Pandas are no longer considered to be endangered animals, something that even now a couple of days later, is still sinking in with many people around the world. In the latest report by the IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) they have found that population numbers of the beautiful Giant Panda bears have risen from 1,596 adults to 1,864 in 2014, which is the result of extensive work by the Chinese government and international organisations to enforce poaching bans and expand the areas of protected forest reserves that are the Giant Pandas natural habitats.

Giant Pandas are natively found in the mountainous regions of central and western China where they live peacefully grazing in the bamboo forests. They are one of the most famous and easily identifiable animals in the world and are unique among bears as they do not hibernate; have very small babies at birth (weighing a tiny 100g which is roughly the same as an average sized mouse); and survive on a diet that is almost entirely vegetarian. Since their discovery in 1869 by a French naturalist the Giant Panda has fascinated the western world and become a global symbol for conservation.

In 1961 the Giant Panda became the logo and symbol for the World Wildlife Trust (WWF) when the company formed, an act that was inspired by the arrival of a Giant Panda named Chi-Chi at London Zoo in the same year. Since 1980, WWF has worked closely with the Chinese government to do more to protect their natural environment after their population numbers reached a record low of less than 1,000 individuals, thanks to the poaching of them for their pretty pelts and deforestation causing the loss and fragmentation of their forest homes.

Since the first Giant Panda reserve was established at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in 1980, China has cracked down on the trading of their skins and gradually expanded the protected forest areas to now cover 1,400 square kilometres. The current population is known to be spread across 20 pockets of bamboo forest, much of which is now protected by Chinese law which has been a major factor in helping the populations of Giant Pandas to grow since the 1980s.

Giant Pandas have been the national animal of China for a very long time and are highly regarded by the Chinese people who see them as a symbol of peace. Despite the recent growth in their population numbers which has led to them now being listed as Vulnerable rather than Endangered, the Chinese government and international groups have come under criticism by some who question whether the vast amount of money and resources that have been put into protecting Giant Pandas in the wild and into breeding programmes, could have been better spent spread across helping other animal species facing extinction.

No matter your opinion on this we can all agree that what has been done to pull this beautiful animal further from extinction in the wild is truly remarkable and really showcases the effectiveness of habitat conservation, reproduction schemes and clamping down on poaching to help to save a species.

It's great to read an amazing article like this. Keep reading to know about amazing animal facts Giraffe breeding and reproduction

Male giraffes are typically ready to mate when they are 6 years old, although more mature bulls often mate first before the younger ones. Female giraffes are ready to mate when they are around 4 years old

BioExpedition mentions that male giraffes taste the urine of the females to find out which giraffes are ready to mate. They search for urine with high estrus content, which is a type of hormone. The San Diego Zoo details that dominant male typically guards the estrus female from other males, and he is usually the only male in a specific area that gets to mate. The courting ritual of giraffes involves gently rubbing their necks against each other. A male giraffe taps on the female’s hind leg with his foreleg to signal his readiness to mate. There are no long-term bonds between giraffes, the San Diego Zoo notes.

While giraffes have no set mating season it will usually take place during the rainy season. This is because they are less stressed out and because they have plenty of food to consume. When food supplies are very low then they have to kick into survival mode and they are less likely to take part in reproduction.

In captivity though they are more likely to reproduce all throughout the year. This is due to the fact that they always have plenty of food and water available to them. This is one way to try to increase the number of giraffes out there but generally they aren’t in captivity for that purpose.

According to the Animal Learning Zone, giraffes breed all year long, and their gestation lasts between 14 and 15 months. After this period, a female giraffe gives birth to a single giraffe baby. Newborn giraffe calves are generally 2 meters tall at birth, and they weight 50 to 55 kilograms.

It takes approximately 15 months after conception for a giraffe calf to be born. Most of the time there is only one at a time but some reports of twins have been noted. The mother remains standing up when the baby drops from her body to the ground which is some feet below. The thick sac protecting the calf prevents it from being harmed during the birthing process.

These aren’t small offspring by any means though as they are about 6 feet tall when they are born. They can also weigh about 150-200 pounds. In captivity they are a huge attraction for visitors. However, in the wild they are a threat to the entire herd as they will attract more predators to that group than normal. They can grow very high during that first year of life.

Amazingly, they learn how to walk within a couple of hours. However, they do get tired very fast and that means they can become easy prey too. For about two weeks the young calves will rest as much as they can and be protected by their mothers. Only about 25% of young giraffes make it to adulthood. This is mainly due to such predators while they are still in their infancy.

The milk of the mother is very nutritious and the calves will drink from it for about the first year of life. Young giraffes feed from the grass and low lying leaves when they are about two months of age. They can do this standing underneath their mother while she feeds. In many herds though there are nurseries for the young to be protected while they mothers eat.

Also see elephant facts