China's giant pandas have long been threatened with extinction, suffering from low birth rates
and human encroachment on their habitat. Now they are facing a new threat - starvation.
China's state-run media says their favourite food, arrow bamboo, is beginning to die off. It is part
of a cycle that happens every sixty years and the new crop will take around ten years to
mature. Last time the bamboo bloomed was in the 1980s and then around two hundred and fifty
giant pandas died of starvation.
Now at least one nature reserve is trying to move those animals at risk into new habitats or find
them new sources of food. In another blow for the giant panda, it is being reported that the
endangered Tibetan antelope is being tipped asChina's Olympic mascot, ahead of the panda.
One official was even quoted as lobbying for the antelope because it is more sporty than the
other contenders. But panda supporters are holding out hope that Beijing's
Olympic emblem could be composed of more than one animal.
Louisa Lim, BBC, Beijing
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