(An investigation shows that the habitat of the giant pandas living in the Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve has been damaged. Photo: sina.com)

An investigation shows that the habitat of the giant pandas living in the Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve, in northwestern China's Gansu Province, has been damaged.

A reporter from Lanzhou Morning News writes that the damage is attributed to the limited number of conservation workers scattered in the large nature reserve, making it difficult to manage and control the people's entrance into the panda habitat, especially in the regions that receive frequent visits.

The investigation also reveals industrial plants surrounding the nature reserve casually dump trash, serving as a destructive factor to the nature reserve.

The report states that while the number of giant pandas has increased steadily in the nature reserve in recent years as a result of an improved environment, the alarm clock is sounding and the rare animals are once again threatened.

Covering an area of 2100 square kilometers, the reserve now boasts 87.2 percent of the giant pandas in Gansu and 6.4 percent of the national figure.

China now has approximately 1600 giant pandas, which mainly live in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.