After a gestation period that varies between 97 and 163 days, pandas generally give birth to a single young or sometimes twins - the reproduction rate is about one young every two years. The average lifespan of a giant panda is 10 to 15 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity. Species Threats Habitat loss and hunting are the most pressing threats to the giant panda. Explosive human population growth and unsustainable use of natural resources are causing wildlife habitats to vanish. In Sichuan province alone, the habitat occupied by pandas shrank 50 percent between 1974 and 1989.
Pandas are also unintentionally injured or killed in traps and snares set for other animals.