5. Population of Pandas from 1974 to 2011 in the wild 1974 – Estimated from 1,000 to 1,100 Giant Pandas in the wild . 1974 2006 – DNA analysis estimates 2,000 to 3,000 Pandas living in the wild. 2007 – 239 Pandas kept in captivity in China. 27 Kept in captivity outside China. 2007 - Estimate 1,590 Pandas living in the wild 2004 – 1,600 Pandas. This is 40% more than in the 1980’s in the wild. 2011 1977 – Also estimated from 1,000 to 1,100 Giant Pandas living in the wild. 2011 – About 1,600 still in the wild 1985 to 1988 – 1,000 Pandas thought to be living in the wild.