Photo by joelsartore | In the past decade, giant panda numbers have risen by more than 15 percent (the current population estimate is 1,800), but this rare bear isn’t out of the woods yet. Traditional threats to pandas, such as poaching, appear to be declining, but disturbances including mining, hydropower, and tourism are on the rise. Thankfully, conservation efforts to tackle these threats and increase the panda population are under way. And these efforts and global awareness won’t just protect pandas; they will benefit many other rare species as well, including the endangered takin, golden monkey, red panda, and crested ibis. Photo taken at Zoo Atlanta zooatl. To see more species featured in the Photo Ark, follow me joelsartore. #PhotoArk