Impact of Earthquakes on Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) Activities in the Qionglai Mountains.

As an endemic and critically-endangered wildlife species in China, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society regarding its survival status. In this study, the impact of earthquake-dameged areas on the distribution and activities of giant pandas in the Qionglai Mountains was analyzed by comparing data from two giant panda surveys conducted in the Qionglai Mountains of Sichuan Province and combining with remote sensing (RS) data from relevant regions. The results indicated that there was only a small area of overlap between the earthquake-damaged areas and giant panda activity trace points. The main earthquake-damaged areas were distributed at elevations (3,500-4,100 m) higher than the primary elevation range of giant panda distribution (1,700-3,100 m). In the Wolong Nature Reserve, no major earthquake damage was observed in the central section east of Provincial Highway 303 with relatively more giant panda activities. Within the Caopo Nature Reserve, the earthquake-damaged areas were mostly concentrated in the northeastern corner and along the border with the Wolong Nature Reserve. However, no large-scale giant panda activity traces were detected in these areas during either of the two surveys. Overall, the range of giant panda activities showed no signs of decline. Therefore, the impact of earthquakes on giant panda activities remains limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]