Giant Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo

Dec 4, 2011
John Blatchford

Giant Panda - J. Patrick Fischer - Wikimedia Commons

Zoos need to remain commercially viable if they are to carry out their educational, research, and conservation functions.

The last wild Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) live in a few mountain ranges in central China. There are thought to be between one and three thousand still living wild, and there are a number living in prestigious zoos around the world.

Giant Pandas in Edinburgh Zoo

Two Giant Pandas flew in to Edinburgh on Sunday 4 December 2011, on loan from China for a 10 year stay at Edinburgh Zoo.

The eight-year-old pair – Tian Tian and Yang Guang – will be the first to live in the UK for 17 years.

A spokesman for the First Minister for Scotland, Alex Salmond, said: "The arrival of Tian Tian and Yang Guang is a fantastic boost for Edinburgh Zoo and will be a major draw for visitors in the months and years to come".

Not all commentators support this venture.

Zoos and Conservation

Zoos have evolved from parks where unusual animals were kept in captivity, solely for the amusement of visitors, into institutions with serious educational and conservation objectives. People still visit zoos to see exotic creatures, but now a lot of information about their native habitat and their current status in the wild is provided.

Alongside this educational role zoos also run research programmes and are actively involved in the conservation of many species (and therefore habitats).

Flagship species such as the Proboscis Monkey can help focus public attention on habitats under threat, and the high profile of the Giant Panda is certainly important in efforts to conserve its habitat in China.

When any iconic animal is 'saved' in the wild many other creatures (often not at all 'cuddly' or remarkable) are saved alongside it – preserving habitats saves whole ecosystems. Controversy around the Giant Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo does not ignore this benefit, but points to the vast sums of money involved and questions the motives.

Saving Individual Animals and Preserving Habitats

Individual zoo animals often develop big 'fan clubs'. A King Penguin, called Nils Olaf, has even been knighted and is the honorary ‘Colonel-in Chief’ of the Norwegian Royal Guard!

Unfortunately this focussing on the individual animal can cloud the real issues – saving the species in its natural habitat is surely more important than the well-being of one individual?

This phenomenon becomes more complicated when small populations of a particular species are housed in zoos. People can get to feel that 'everything is OK' because the species has been 'saved', even when the animal concerned has little wild habitat left on the planet.

Zoos need visitors to fund their efforts, but it is important to balance commercial viability with educational and conservation objectives.

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