What do you think when you hear the word “panda”? Do you think of the restaurant Panda Express? Do you think of the pillow pet Peter Panda? Or do you think of the endangered species with less then 1,600 remaining? The Ailuropoda melanoleuca is the rarest member of the bear family and among the world’s most threatened animals and it is also known as the Giant Panda.

“When I hear the word panda? Honestly, I think of Panda Express,” John Lewis answered when asked about his reaction to hearing about the animal.

Lewis’s comment about pandas is very important because it proves that there is little to no information about what is happening to one of the world’s most beautiful animals. The giant panda is on the verge of extinction, and before you stop reading this article and walk away from this issue entirely, think. Think of what the world would be like if there were no more pandas. Devastating isn’t it?

“Economic benefits derived from the survival of pandas include: tourism, subsistence fisheries and agriculture, transport, hydropower and water resources. The survival of the panda and the protection of its habitat will ensure that people living in the region continue to reap ecosystem benefits for many generations,” Sybille Klenzendorf, directing manager of an organization to help save endangered species, said in regards to her concern for the survival of the pandas.

At this moment you may be thinking, what’s the point of this article? And that’s fine, but for those of you that care about the environment and all of the creatures in it I suggest you keep reading. Today, the giant panda's future is indeterminate. As China's economy continues to soar, this bamboo-eating member of the bear family faces a number of threats. Its forest environment, in the mountainous areas of southwest China, is progressively being interfered by roads and railroads. Habitat loss continues to occur outside of protected areas, while panda poaching is as big a threat as ever.

 “Before the revision of the Criminal Law of China in 1997, a person convicted of killing a giant panda could receive the death penalty, and some panda poachers were in fact executed. According to the revised law, the most severe penalty for panda poaching today is over 10 years in prison,” According to http://www.wwfchina.org.

Poaching is illegal but what some people forget is that it is also morally wrong. It is the main threat to the panda population and is not going to stop anytime soon. Ignorance is what fuels the poaching of these pandas, what people do not understand is that with every bullet fired another panda is lost forever.

“People hunting for other animals in the panda habitat also pose a threat, however. The traps they set for musk deer or bear may accidentally kill giant pandas,” Colby Loucks, a scientist and member of WWF said.

WWF is an organization set up particularly for the giant panda conservation efforts.  WWF has been active in giant panda conservation since 1980, and was the first international conservation organization to work in China at the Chinese government's invitation.

“WWF has trained more than 300 panda reserve staff and local government officials in nature reserve management, wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching patrolling and innovative community-based conservation approaches. We are also helping to train local people to enforce reserve boundaries,” According to http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/giantpanda/panda.html/.

So what can you do? A lot. Spread the word about the panda problem, starting with your friends and family and then take it even further. Set up a club at your school, make flyers, donate some money, and really make an effort in preventing pandas from dying out of our world entirely.

“I hope the pandas make it through, because without them there would be no more Panda Express, no more panda stuffed animals, no nothing, “ Marial Pierce commented about the issue.

The first step to panda extinction prevention is getting involved, it’s easy and fun. Getting involved in these kind of world issues is not only a good way to spend your time but it is something positive that you can spend your time on.