Research/Technology

There has been a lot of advances in research regarding mating signals in pandas, breeding patterns, and overall increased knowledge of the species. Human interventions include raising babies away from the parent (as shown in the video clip), since panda mothers may have one to two cubs but will only raise one.^x Pandas are usually solitary animals, coming together only during mating season, but in captivity, we discovered that there are other factors limiting display of stereotypic behaviors.^y There was a significant difference in time spent displaying stereotypic behavior, but none for occurrence of these behaviors and fecal cortisol levels (suggesting captive pandas aren’t more stressed compared to their wild counterparts).^y Researchers suggest that environmental enrichment may help to stimulate certain mating behaviors which are absent in captivity.^y

Ethical concerns

What do you value more?

Now… what of the concerns we face regarding how ethical it is to raise a panda cub away from its mother– or even before that, the use of in vitro fertilization? I think it all comes down to what you value more: the conservation of a species or the affective states of these individuals (a question of proximate or ultimate causation).
^y Liu, J., Chen, Y., Guo, L., Gu, B., Liu, H., Hou, A., Liu, X., Sun, L., Liu, D. 2006. Stereotypic behaviour and fecal cortisol level in captive giant pandas in relation to environmental enrichment. Zoo Biology 25: 445-459.

^x Lü, Z, Wang, D. & Garshelis, D.L. 2008. Ailuropoda melanoleuca. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2.. Downloaded on February 2, 2012.