National parks to protect rare species

Conservation experts working to consolidate habitat management to encourage reproduction

Habitat fragmentation remains the major factor threatening the survival of giant pandas in the wild, a senior official from China's wildlife watchdog agency said.

Zhang Xiwu, director of the Wildlife Conservation and Nature Reserve Management Department of the State Forestry Administration, said on Thursday that, in the next five years, China will complete the establishment of four national parks to protect the giant panda, Asian elephant, Tibetan antelope and Amur leopard and tiger.