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Message: <blockquote data-quote="citrinella" data-source="post: 1600370" data-attributes="member: 15241">Thanks for the quote. I didn't manage to read past the first paragraph. What is the point of reading the views of someone who just doesn't understand biodiversity ? Only to try to educate people better.There are many points about pandas which make it special. However, what is not special about it is that it is an indicator at the top of a particular food chain. By continuing to fight to keep that indicator, we are actually continuing to fight for a whole ecosystem. We are still discovering new inter-relations and complexities in UK ecosystems, amongst the best studied in the world, we havne't got a clue what we would lose in the mountains around Sichuan if we gave up trying on giant panda, allowed the ecosystem to degrade.Why are panda special ? Because of their symbolism. They have become a symbol for conservation worldwide (WWF), but that is perhaps the least of it. Their most important role in conservation is probably to wake conscience in China, which is still the most populous country in earth. They are also a political and cultural link between China and the rest of the world. If we say "stuff the panda" are we not also in danger of being understood to mean "stuff China" ? and from the Chinese perspective "stuff conservation" ?Someone said "if this were a UK species". Good point, if it were say badgers - some might actually think it would be a good thing to exterminate badgers to control TB. What might Mr.Packham have to say about that ?Mr. Packham is also quoted as describing pandas as inhabiting the most populous place on earth. This is an unbelievable distortion of the truth. Was he referring to the cities with zoos ? The mountain areas they naturally inhabit are very sparsely inhabited. The pressures on their environment are there, but they can and should be mitigated and that potentially valuable ecosystem protected.It seems to me Mr.Packham doesn't understand conservation at all.Mike.</blockquote>

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