According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), giant pandas are not considered endangered anymore. An update in Red List of Threatened Species was made on September 4 announcing that the population of giant pandas has improved enough for its label to be demote to “vulnerable.”

The increase in the number of this species is thanks to the forest protection and reforestation measures in China. It has helped increase the number of giant pandas from 1,596 (2004) to 1,864 (2014) in the wild excluding the numbers of cubs. The current population count including the cubs is 2,060.

The Chinese Government has banned poaching for giant pandas for decades. They also created several panda reserve systems and made available habitats. They teamed up with international organizations to push further the breeding and conservation efforts. Thanks to the Chinese conservation efforts, giant pandas are safe and away from the brink of extinction.

Let’s spread the word and help keep giant pandas safe and sound, and save our vanishing biodiversity.