The Giant Pandas in China
The Giant Pandas in China
These black and white national treasures are native to China, and it is the only country where you have the chance to spot one in the wild. They are only found in the remote mountainous regions of central China, in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. In these areas there are cool, wet bamboo forests that are perfect for Giant Pandas requirements. They are an endangered species, with just under 2,000 still living in the wild, however in the last 10 years the population has increased by 17%. Around 100 Giant Pandas can be found in zoos around the world, however the best place to encounter them is in one the research centres located in China.
Giant Pandas are a member of the bear family, and only sloth bears have longer tails than pandas. They play an important role in China’s Bamboo Forests by spreading seeds and helping the vegetation to grow. Approximately 99% of a panda’s diet consists of bamboo leaves and shoots. Pandas need to eat 30 pounds of bamboo daily to stay full. Giant Pandas grow to around 4-5 feet tall and weigh up to 300lbs with a new born panda cub 1-900th of the size of its mother, which is comparable to the length of a stick of butter. Red Pandas which are their distant relatives, are only 20 to 26 inches tall and weigh 12 to 20lbs, so very tiny in comparison.
The top 4 places to see the Giant Pandas in China are:
Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Centre
A non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas located in Chengdu Sichuan. It was founded in 1987 and started with only 6 giant pandas that were rescued from the wild.
Dujiangyan Panda Base
It is located in Shiqiao Village of Qingchengshan Town. It covers around 126 acres. It is composed of 6 areas, panda rescue & quarantine area, panda disease control, prevention and research area, panda rehabilitation, training and feeding area, public reception and education area, natural vegetarian area and office and logistic services area. It offers a Panda Volunteer Program.
Gengda Wolong Panda Center
This reserve is in a protected area in Wenchuan County, Sichuan. It was established in 1963 with an initial size of about 20,000 hectares, it was expanded in 1975 to cover an area of about 200,000. It is home to about 150 endangered giant pandas, but also has red pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards.
Bifengxia Giant Panda Base
Giant Panda research and breeding facility in Bifengxia Town, Sichuan China. It opened in 2004. It is home to the US born Giant Pandas Hua Mei and Mei Sheng, who are the first Giant Pandas to have survived adulthood in USA. They were relocated to this research centre from Gengda Wolong Panda Center after a terribile earthquake struck it in 2008.
