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A Place for Pandas

A new park in China could help giant pandas’ numbers rise  

April 2020
By Jessica McKenna-Ratjen

Katherine Feng/Minden Pictures (pandas) 

Giant panda cubs munch on a snack at a reserve in China.

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

People around the world love pandas. But fewer than 2,000 giant pandas remain in the wild. They’re mostly found in small, isolated groups. Scientists believe an important part of saving panda populations is connecting their habitat together. 

China’s planned Giant Panda National Park will do just that. Now, most pandas live in protected areas called reserves. The project will join more than 60 reserves to create one large habitat spanning over 10,500 square miles. That’s bigger than the state of Vermont! 

People around the world love pandas. But less than 2,000 giant pandas still live in the wild. Those wild pandas are found in small groups. The groups aren’t connected to each other. Scientists believe connecting the pandas’ habitat together is an important part of saving the animals.

China is planning to create a park called Giant Panda National Park. The park will connect the pandas’ habitat together. Most pandas now live in protected areas called reserves. The park will join more than 60 reserves. It will create one large habitat. That habitat will cover more than 10,500 square miles. That’s bigger than the state of Vermont!

The Big Picture: Giant Pandas
Watch a video about giant pandas in China.

Over the next decade, officials will relocate hundreds of people who live in the area. They’ll shut down some of the region’s mines, power plants, and highways. With fewer roads and industries in their habitat, giant pandas will be freer to roam. They’ll be able to find mates more easily. That should mean more cubs will be born.

Most of the park will be off-limits to tourists. But online broadcasts from within the park will give viewers a peek into the bears’ daily lives.

The park will also protect more than 8,000 species of plants and other animals in the area. China’s goal is for Giant Panda National Park to be a panda-saving success story by 2035.

Officials will relocate hundreds of people who live in the area during the next 10 years. They’ll shut down some of the mines in the region. They will close down power plants and highways. Giant pandas will then have fewer roads and industries in their habitat. They will be able to roam more freely. They’ll be able to find mates more easily. That should mean more cubs will be born.

Most of the park will be off-limits to tourists. But there will be online broadcasts from within the park. These broadcasts will give viewers a peek into the bears’ daily lives.

The park will also protect more than 8,000 species of plants and other animals in the area. China’s goal is for Giant Panda National Park to be a panda-saving success story by 2035.

MATH TALK

How can coordinate grids help park planners make decisions?

MATH TALK

How can coordinate grids help park planners make decisions?

Coordinate Grids

What to Do

A coordinate grid is used to locate points. It is formed by two number lines. They intersect at point (0, 0), the origin. An ordered pair shows the location of a point on the grid.

Example

Plot (6, 4) on the coordinate grid. The first number, 6, tells you how many units to move horizontally on the x-axis from the origin. The second number, 4, tells you how many units to move vertically along the y-axis. 

Coordinate Grids

What to Do

A coordinate grid is used to locate points. It is formed by two number lines. They intersect at point (0, 0), the origin. An ordered pair shows the location of a point on the grid.

Example

Plot (6, 4) on the coordinate grid. The first number, 6, tells you how many units to move horizontally on the x-axis from the origin. The second number, 4, tells you how many units to move vertically along the y-axis. 

Now You Try It

The Anzihe Nature Reserve is a panda reserve that will become part of the park. It is at point A. Write the ordered pair for the location of this point.

The Anzihe Nature Reserve is a panda reserve that will become part of the park. It is at point A. Write the ordered pair for the location of this point.

A. The Wolong National Nature Reserve is one unit north of Anzihe. What is the location of Wolong?

A. The Wolong National Nature Reserve is one unit north of Anzihe. What is the location of Wolong?

B. Plot this point on the grid and label it point W.

B. Plot this point on the grid and label it point W.

A. The new park will connect Wolong and Anzihe to Longchiping Forest Park. Longchiping is 4 units to the east and 5 units north from Wolong. Plot this point and label it point L.

A. The new park will connect Wolong and Anzihe to Longchiping Forest Park. Longchiping is 4 units to the east and 5 units north from Wolong. Plot this point and label it point L.

B. What is this point’s ordered pair?

B. What is this point’s ordered pair?

A. Baiyang Nature Reserve is 3 units west and 1 unit south of Longchiping. Plot this point and label it B. What is its ordered pair?

A. Baiyang Nature Reserve is 3 units west and 1 unit south of Longchiping. Plot this point and label it B. What is its ordered pair?

B. Explain how you would travel from Anzihe to get to Baiyang.

B. Explain how you would travel from Anzihe to get to Baiyang.

Geometry
Coordinate Planes

Google Quiz

Click the Google Quiz button below to share an interactive version of the questions with your class. Click Download PDF for the non-interactive blank Answer Sheet.

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