On 4 September 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced that giant pandas are no longer ‘endangered’. Instead, now they are labeled ‘vulnerable’.

Giant Pandas are an international symbol of conservation rights and the mascot for the WWF, an organization which sole purpose is to prevent the extinctions of any more species. These gentle giants increased from a mere 1,596 Giant Panda adults and juveniles in 2004, to a staggering 1,864 of them in 2014. This remarkable increase has bumped them up from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’.

This is clear evidence of China’s success in conserving what is said to be their “National Treasures” and how effective they are at preserving rare plants and animals alike, states the IUCN.

However, it isn’t time to celebrate yet as these changes could be reversed if conservation acts become lax and people take it for granted.

Pandas still face the threats of habitat loss and population remains low.

The IUCN also warns that climate change could lead to the destruction of over one-third of giant panda habitats, which would reverse any progress made in panda conservation.