Giant Panda Habitat Distribution and Protection

Wild Pandas are mainly living in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu Province in China. The majority(around 80%) of the wild pandas live in Sichuan Province in Minshan Mountain Range, Qionglaishan Range, Daxiangling and Xiaoxiangling Ranges. Around 15% of the wild pandas live in south of Qinling Range in Shaanxi Province and aound 5% live in southeast Gansu near Qinling Range and Minshan Range. The Wild Panda Habitats are usually covered in bamboo bushes and dense forest, located in difficult terrain and with a warm but wet climate. China has set up Panda National Park (Panda Nature Reserve) of total 27,134sqkm, among which 75% is located in Sichuan Province.

The recent census(March 2025) on wild panda reports an estimate of wild pandas being total 1900, a big rise comparing to 1100 pandas by the first census conducted in 1980s. At the same time, pandas living in captive has the number of 757 total until November 2024. More than two thirds of the pandas still roaming in the wild in China.

Panda Habitats Map of China

Main Areas of Wild Panda Habitats

1, Mianyang Pingwu & Beichuan and Guangyuan Qingchuan (Minshan Range)

Estimated Number: 450+

Density: Medium-High

Accessibility: Medium Difficult

Pingwu is the number one county level place that holds on the largest number of wild pandas in China. It has total around 330 pandas living in the wild in the vast National Park of Giant Panda (panda reserve) in Pingwu. The wild pandas are living in the bamboo bushes in Pingwu, Beichuan and Qingchuan are the neighboring places(counties) in Mianyang and Guangyuan by the Minshan Range east side where the moister nurtures enough good bamboo for pandas. Between the cities and villages by the lower land and the higher mountains of Minshan above 4000m live the many wildlife including pandas. This reserve is one of the largest panda reserve in China. Within the wild reserve there are parks that are open to visitors including Tangjiahe Nature Reserve in Qingchuan County, Wanglang Nature Reserve in Pingwu County, Golden Monkey place in Pingwu Red PandasCounty, and a new panda base in Mianyang was planned to open in the next few year.

2, Yaan Baoxing and Tianquan (Qionglaishan Range)

Estimated Number: 250+

Density: High

Accessibility: Medium Difficult

Baoxing and Tianquan are two neighboring counties in Yaan that is one of the most important panda reserves in China and has a high density of wild pandas. Baoxing is also the place where the panda was found by foreigner and was first introduced to the world. Baoxing county ranks the second by the number of pandas living within. The difficult terrain between the elevation of 1600m and 4400m are the home for the pandas where lush forest grow. Baoxing and Tianquan has very high forest coverage. The road goes into the place provides good chance and window of seeing one wild panda. Within this area the national parks that are open to visitors include Labahe Nature Park, Dengchi Panda Base, also the nearby Bifengxia Panda Base.

3, Wenchuan Wolong (Qionglaishan Range)

Estimated Number: 150+

Density: High

Accessibility: Difficult

Wolong has possibly the highest density of pandas in China. Wolong is the place where the first panda was caught to produce more pandas in the lab. Some of the valleys in Wolong haven’t seen humans in decades since 1980s. The single road that goes further west now provides chance to go to only the base of the valley and access from the road is very hard to go high to the actual panda reserves. The only place that is open to visitors is Wolong Panda Base located in Gengda Town. Wolong is also a great place to watch birds in China.

4, Shaanxi Foping & Yangxian (Qinling Range)

Estimated Number: 200+

Density: High

Accessibility: Difficult

Foping is estimated to have the highest density of pandas in China as a county. Foping and Yangxian is the core area of the Qinling Giant Panda Reserve. Foping County is one of the first place in China to set up a panda protection reserve. Now the reserve is heavily protected the only places that allow visitors to go is Panda Valley in Foping, Sibao Park in Hanzhong.

5, Hongya, Mianning, (Daxiangling and Xiaoxiangling Range)

Estimated Number: 40+

Density: Medium

Accessibility: Medium Difficult

This part of the panda reserve is the southernmost part and the number is not as great as the other places. From Hongya to Mianning the places that wild pandas live also include Hanyuan County, Yingjing County, Shimian County. Some parts are accessible by roads but the density is low. Nature reserve parks that allow visitors to visit including. Mt. Wawu, Longcanggou Park.

Animals that Share the Same Reserves

Within the Panda Reserves other wildlife are also protected. Such wild animals include Golden Snub-Nose Monkeys, Red Pandas, Takins, Snow Leopards, Birds, etc.