Pandas now classed as 'vulnerable'

Downgrade from 'endangered' doesn't mean the iconic species is no longer at risk, experts say

China's furry national icon has been downgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable" on the global list of species at risk of extinction. But experts in China warn that the good news for the giant panda could be short-lived and may require an even greater conservation investment.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature announced the downgrade on Monday in Hawaii. It said that evidence from a series of national surveys indicates that the previous population decline has been reversed.