Giant Pandas, Living the Life in Chengdu
They are the goodwill ambassador of China and official image of the Beijing Olympics. When thinking of China it is almost impossible not to picture the Giant Panda.
It was another early morning in the city of Chengdu. We were going to the Giant Panda Research Base and we had to beat the crowds. It was Sunday after all and it is China’s day off. Sundays are a Family Holidays and it seems as if everyone in China is out enjoying the sites. With a dense population, you can be sure that the crowds would be thick. Lucky for us, we have smart guides on our Intrepid Travel Grand China Tour. We like to comment that we get the cream of the crop, the best of the best when it comes to local guides. And it’s true. We have hired many a guide in our 10 years of traveling and we know a good one from a bad one.
The guides we have been getting in China are definitely at the top of their game.
Panda curled up in a ball sound asleep
We arrived at the Giant Panda Research Centre at 8 am sharp in time for the opening. Being China, we were expecting the pandas to be in small enclosures on display for tourists to snap their many shots. But like everything in China so far, we were proven wrong. The conditions were the exact opposite. These pandas were in wide open spaces enjoying the good life. We walked along a wide pedestrian path and looked out into giant grassy enclosures filled with live bamboo for the pandas to munch on.
Our first panda spotting was a mature panda sleeping soundly while curled up in a giant ball. He looked like a fuzzy stuffed toy.
These pandas are certainly living the life.
Started in 1987, the Giant Panda Research Base originally only had 6 pandas in the compound. It has grown to over 90 of the cuddly black and white cuties with 6 new pandas born this year!
We started our walk in the mature adult section. It was early morning and pandas are lazy animals so they were mostly sleeping in balls on their high wooden platforms. Pandas like sleeping in trees, so the platforms mimic the height of the tree.
As we walked along we saw more pandas that were more awake and munching on bamboo. Pandas don’t move much and they spend most of the day eating. Up to 40 kilos of bamboo for each bear.
Relaxing while eating, Living the Life of a Giant Panda
The Panda has an interesting history.
Most species only have a lifespan on 3 million years. The panda has already been around for 5 million years and has certainly outlived its expected lifespan. It seems as if mother nature is telling us something. Over time they have switched their diets. Originally carnivores, the panda now only eats bamboo that is low in nutrients and calories. There are also breeding problems. Pandas have a difficult time finding a mate due to their solitary lifestyle and when they do conceive all babies are born premature weighing only 1/1000 of their mothers weight.
Mothers don’t have the instinct to take care of their baby and many times end up injuring or killing it.
Adolescent Pandas can hang out Together
It could just be me, but maybe the panda knows that it has been on earth for far too long. There isn’t much hope for the panda in the wild due to habitat loss and dwindling numbers, but China is doing it’s best to keep them alive and well in the Panda Breeding facility.
Whatever the case, the giant panda is just about the cutest animal on earth and it is a shame that there are less than 2000 left in the wild.
The Baby Pandas
We had the chance to walk through the nursery where the babies were being taken care of by human caregivers. 4 were fast asleep, but one little panda saw us all through the glass and tried to climb out of his crib to take a closer look. We weren’t allowed to take photos and a nasty guard was there to keep a close eye on our extensive camera gear. The energetic panda never did manage to make it out of the crib although he came dangerously close. The nurse didn’t seem to mind too much and smiled and laughed as he kept on climbing. She clearly knew something that we didn’t. (maybe his bum was just too heavy to make it over the railing)
The Red Panda is Overshadowed by the Giant Panda
After the Giant Pandas we stopped to see the red pandas. These little guys were so cute that I felt bad for them. The Giant Panda has stolen all their thunder. They are like miniature pandas only red with a long tail. They resemble a raccoon and are just as mischievous. Our guide told us that they are often missing a part of an ear or tail because they are always fighting with each other. While we were there we didn’t see any fights, but they definitely remained active running back and forth through their paths.
We were very impressed with the Giant Panda Research Centre
A Young Panda Taking it easy while eating
The pandas seem to have all the room in the world, they are put inside in air-conditioned rooms when it is too hot and they have all the bamboo they can eat. These pandas seemed very content and happy. I am not a fan of zoos and I am more a fan of conservation rather than preservation, but for these 90 guys, I would say that they are living the high life.
I only wonder about the fate of the giant panda in the wild. I think it won’t be long until the only place we will ever see them again is in a zoo.
Note: This Trip to China was Sponsored by Intrepid Travel. We had a local guide for The Giant Panda Research Centre, but we also have a guide with us from Intrepid during our Grand China Tour.
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Oh, I love this post! I adore pandas! I have a dvd about this place somewhere. I was excited to go to Washington Zoo last year to see them, but it was disappointing. I know they do great work, and I don’t mean to criticize them. It’s just so much better to see any animal in a natural setting if possible.
.-= islandmomma´s last blog ..Be Like a Boy Scout – Prepared! =-.
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Nice pics! However if you say that a species has an expected lifespan of 3 million years and that pandas have been around 5 million I think that this is a fairly clear indication that the panda is doing something right. Mother Nature would surely consider that a successful run?
You say that there isn’t much hope for the the panda in the wild, this is 100% due to the activities of man and nothing to do with the panda itself, it’s eating or breeding habits.
Whilst centres such as the one you visited are vital if we are to save animals like the panda, let’s not forget that it’s because of us that they need saving in the first place!
.-= Jonathan Evans´s last blog ..Long Distance Travel in Argentina =-.
I agree completely with what you say. I didn’t mean that the Panda wants to die, I think that my intentions didn’t come off properly. It was more of an observation that we came to when watching the film in the Panda centre. They made a point of stating the fact that it has lived far past its lifespan (and I agree, it is definitely a successful run)
I also agree that the reason of the Pandas demise is because of man. As is the case with almost every species that is going extinct. We just found it interesting that Pandas have changed to bamboo diets which dont’ give them the proper nutrients and that they are born premature by scientific standards. But yes, you are 100% right, it is man’s fault due to over hunting and habitat loss in todays world. It is sad that many species can’t survive in the wild because of man, I don’t have the answers, I just observe and try to tell it as I see it.
I have to say, China has never been high on my list of places I want to visit, but so far all of your stories and photos have me itching to go! The panda centre looks incredible and how can you not fall in love with these gorgeous creatures!
.-= Alison´s last blog ..Brussels Christmas Market – Plaisirs d’Hiver =-.
I had the BEST time there!!! I looooved the baby pandas. So freaking cute.
.-= Andi´s last blog ..Cuba Day 8 Part 1 =-.
The red panda is super cute. Reminds me of the fox in Firefox logo
.-= Jill – Jack and Jill Travel The World´s last blog ..To Be Excited About The Unknowns =-.
Pandas rock! I saw some at the San Diego Zoo in California and remember thinking that since they don’t enjoy moving around much, they would not need the largest space; but it’s great to hear they have wide open spaces! I actually found that rather surprising as well.
I am also not the biggest fan of keeping wild animals in enclosed spaces for the rest of their lives. But I agree that with pandas it’s likely the only option. Although it’s sad that pandas will likely no longer exist in the wild, I’m glad we realized in time to at least save some of them.
My wife and I had such a good time there. We did the intern program while we were there and had an absolute blast!
Dan
.-= Dan Thompson´s last blog ..POTW- Horne Monument =-.
Wow, amazing pictures! And a nicely written post which I hope helps to aid their plight in the wild. Red vs Giant, now that’s a tough call in the cuteness stakes!
Bee-yoo-ti-ful photos!!!!!
.-= Barbara Weibel´s last blog ..Harvesting the Rice By Hand in Nepal =-.
We visited Chengdu about six weeks after the earthquake in 2008 and so there were no tourists anywhere. This was bad for businesses, but the up side was that when we went out to the Panda Research Center we had the whole place to ourselves. We had so much fun just hanging out watching the pandas eat (we arrived just after feeding time) and got to see a few babies as well. I gained a whole new appreciation for pandas.
.-= Audrey´s last blog ..Four Years on the Road- It All Began with a Frozen Pork Butt =-.
This is one of my top things on the to do list for China and I cannot wait! Thanks for the article.
.-= Andrew Murray´s last blog ..Volunteer Opportunities at Wildlife Sanctuaries Abroad =-.
Great post dave and deb!! Def going to see them when I head to Asia next year
.-= wanderingtrader´s last blog ..PLANNING MY ITINERARY AROUND THE WORLD – ARGENTINA EDITION =-.
Oh, I love this post! I adore pandas! I have a dvd about this place somewhere. I was excited to go to Washington Zoo last year to see them, but it was disappointing. I know they do great work, and I don’t mean to criticize them. It’s just so much better to see any animal in a natural setting if possible. .-= islandmomma´s last blog ..Be Like a Boy Scout – Prepared! =-.
You are right, I don’t like zoos either. I prefer conservation areas and national parks. That was what I like about the Pandas in Chengdu. They really seemed to be living in their natural environment.