HORSES ARE PIGGING OUT ON PANDAS’ BAMBOO SUPPLYcsis.msu.edu/sites/csis.msu.edu/files/Horses are...
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3/10/2014 Horses are pigging out on pandas' bamboo supply - Conservation http://conservationmagazine.org/2014/03/horses-pigging-pandas-bamboo-supply/ 1/3 SUBSCRIBE DONATE HORSES ARE PIGGING OUT ON PANDAS’ BAMBOO SUPPLY March 6, 2014 Conservation This Week 0 Comments Giant pandas are under assault from logging, farming, and new roads that slash through their habitat. Now this endangered species faces a new threat: bamboo-hogging horses. There are only about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild, and they depend on nature reserves in China’s southwestern forests. But pandas don’t have these forest patches all to themselves. In a recent survey, researchers found that 11 percent of plots in giant panda habitat had been grazed by livestock. To find out how farm animals were affecting the pandas’ food supply, the authors of a new study in the Journal for Nature Conservation collected data in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve, where about 10 percent of remaining wild giant pandas live. Thousands of farmers also live in the reserve and raise livestock such as cows and yaks. Over the last two decades, horse rearing has become more popular, and herds often graze on bamboo patches frequented by pandas. The researchers followed four horse herds for a year using a combination of GPS collars and field surveys. They also attached GPS collars to three pandas. Finally, the team searched for signs of horse grazing on bamboo and panda visits before and after horses arrived. ABOUT CLIMATE ENERGY NATURE TECHNOLOGY CULTURE SUBSCRIBE Home Conservation This Week Horses are pigging out on pandas’ bamboo supply Horses are pigging out on pandas’ bamboo supply March 6th, 2014 The Mauritius kestrel is a scrappy bird but will it survive humans? March 5th, 2014 How much water do you actually use? March 4th, 2014 Wind turbines could cut hurricane surges by 79% February 27th, 2014 Conservation This Week
Transcript of HORSES ARE PIGGING OUT ON PANDAS’ BAMBOO SUPPLYcsis.msu.edu/sites/csis.msu.edu/files/Horses are...
3102014 Horses are pigging out on pandas bamboo supply - Conservation
httpconservationmagazineorg201403horses-pigging-pandas-bamboo-supply 13
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HORSES ARE PIGGING OUT ONPANDASrsquo BAMBOO SUPPLY
March 6 2014 Conservation This Week 0 Comments
Giant pandas are under assault from logging farming and new roads that slash through their habitatNow this endangered species faces a new threat bamboo-hogging horses
There are only about 1600 giant pandas left in the wild and they depend on nature reserves in Chinarsquossouthwestern forests But pandas donrsquot have these forest patches all to themselves In a recent surveyresearchers found that 11 percent of plots in giant panda habitat had been grazed by livestock
To find out how farm animals were affecting the pandasrsquo food supply the authors of a new study in theJournal for Nature Conservation collected data in Chinarsquos Wolong Nature Reserve where about 10percent of remaining wild giant pandas live Thousands of farmers also live in the reserve and raiselivestock such as cows and yaks Over the last two decades horse rearing has become more popularand herds often graze on bamboo patches frequented by pandas
The researchers followed four horse herds for a year using a combination of GPS collars and fieldsurveys They also attached GPS collars to three pandas Finally the team searched for signs of horsegrazing on bamboo and panda visits before and after horses arrived
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Home Conservation This Week Horses are pigging out on pandasrsquo bamboo supply
Horses are piggingout on pandasrsquobamboo supplyMarch 6th 2014
The Mauritiuskestrel is a scrappybird but will itsurvive humansMarch 5th 2014
How much waterdo you actually useMarch 4th 2014
Wind turbines couldcut hurricane surgesby 79February 27th 2014
Conservation This Week
3102014 Horses are pigging out on pandas bamboo supply - Conservation
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Horses arepigging out onpandasrsquo bamboosupply
March 6th 2014
The Mauritiuskestrel is ascrappy bird butwill it survivehumans
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How muchwater do youactually use
March 4th 2014
Wind turbinescould cuthurricane surgesby 79
February 27th 2014
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February 26th 2014
For three herds about half of the area roamed by the horses overlapped with giant panda habitat theteam reports In 37 and 49 percent of plots in the reserversquos Fangzipeng and Yusidong regionsrespectively horses had chowed down on more than one-fifth of the bamboo After horses arrived inFangzipeng the number of plots with panda feces or signs of panda grazing dropped by 5 to 10 timesAnd mother pandas appeared to have abandoned two den trees in Fangzipeng where they used toraise their cubs
The results suggest that ldquobamboo foraging by horses could potentially threaten the availability of foodfor the giant pandas if horse populations are uncheckedrdquo the authors warn Fortunately this story hasa happy ending After hearing about the teamrsquos findings managers decided that horses were no longerwelcome in the reserve mdash Roberta Kwok | 6 March 2014
Source Hull V et al 2014 Impact of livestock on giant pandas and their habitat Journal for NatureConservation doi 101016jjnc201402003
Image copy apiguide | Shutterstock
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3102014 Horses are pigging out on pandas bamboo supply - Conservation
httpconservationmagazineorg201403horses-pigging-pandas-bamboo-supply 23
Tweet this article Share on Facebook Pin on Pinterest
Horses arepigging out onpandasrsquo bamboosupply
March 6th 2014
The Mauritiuskestrel is ascrappy bird butwill it survivehumans
March 5th 2014
How muchwater do youactually use
March 4th 2014
Wind turbinescould cuthurricane surgesby 79
February 27th 2014
SavingOrangutans OneZoo Visitor At ATime
February 26th 2014
For three herds about half of the area roamed by the horses overlapped with giant panda habitat theteam reports In 37 and 49 percent of plots in the reserversquos Fangzipeng and Yusidong regionsrespectively horses had chowed down on more than one-fifth of the bamboo After horses arrived inFangzipeng the number of plots with panda feces or signs of panda grazing dropped by 5 to 10 timesAnd mother pandas appeared to have abandoned two den trees in Fangzipeng where they used toraise their cubs
The results suggest that ldquobamboo foraging by horses could potentially threaten the availability of foodfor the giant pandas if horse populations are uncheckedrdquo the authors warn Fortunately this story hasa happy ending After hearing about the teamrsquos findings managers decided that horses were no longerwelcome in the reserve mdash Roberta Kwok | 6 March 2014
Source Hull V et al 2014 Impact of livestock on giant pandas and their habitat Journal for NatureConservation doi 101016jjnc201402003
Image copy apiguide | Shutterstock
Tags endangered species habitat
Recommended
Leave a Comment
Submit
Weekly Dispatch a survey of new conservation science (sample)
This Weeks Good Read a story worth talking about (sample)
email address
Saving OrangutansOne Zoo Visitor AtA TimeFebruary 26th 2014
Read more science news
Sign Up for FreeConservation Newsletters
Current Issue
Explore Back Issues (Winter 2000-present)
Fred PearceWhat Tragedy Whose Commons
Logging by Number
Richard ConniffThe Fish Oil Catch Natural History
Upgrade
Dawn StoverNot So Silent Spring Troubled Teens
David OwenHeirloom Technology
Submit
Weekly Dispatch a survey of new
conservation science (sample)
This Weeks Good Read a story
worth talking about (sample)
email address
3102014 Horses are pigging out on pandas bamboo supply - Conservation
httpconservationmagazineorg201403horses-pigging-pandas-bamboo-supply 33
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HELP amp INFORMATION
SubscribeRenewBuy a Gift SubscriptionManage Your SubscriptionContact Us
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FOLLOW US
copy COPYRIGHT 2013 UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Carl ZimmerThe Most Popular Lifestyle on Earth
Black is the New Green
Bill ChameidesThe Artful Planet
James McWilliamsFertility Treatments
Marc GuntherThe Best Ideas that Money Can Buy
Carl SafinaLunch with a Turtle Poacher
Paul SalopekClosed-Source Crops
Burkhard BilgerTo Build a (Better) Fire
3102014 Horses are pigging out on pandas bamboo supply - Conservation
httpconservationmagazineorg201403horses-pigging-pandas-bamboo-supply 33
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HELP amp INFORMATION
SubscribeRenewBuy a Gift SubscriptionManage Your SubscriptionContact Us
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Editorial MissionStaff and BoardAwardsOur PartnersAds and PermissionsSubmission Guidelines
JOIN US
Partnership OpportunitiesClassroom ResourcesDonate
FOLLOW US
copy COPYRIGHT 2013 UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
Carl ZimmerThe Most Popular Lifestyle on Earth
Black is the New Green
Bill ChameidesThe Artful Planet
James McWilliamsFertility Treatments
Marc GuntherThe Best Ideas that Money Can Buy
Carl SafinaLunch with a Turtle Poacher
Paul SalopekClosed-Source Crops
Burkhard BilgerTo Build a (Better) Fire
