Chengdu - PANDA DAY!

Monday we checked out of the hotel and drove 30min to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda!

This facility helps to breed the pandas in captivity and promote awareness for this beautiful endangered animal.  

Bathrooms were themed as trees!

BABIES!!!

All over a year old...

 

Eating bamboo all day is hard!

That can't be very comfortable...

Each bear had a 'stud' sign next to their enclosure telling their name and interests - some were pretty amusing!

At 10am I had an appointment to hold a baby panda.  Yes, you read that correctly! There are only three zoos in the United States that have pandas; come to China and for a heft donation, you can hold one!  Best money I've ever spent!

 

I am READY!

The group of 18 got a brief introduction to pandas, birth statistics, life expectancy, conservations efforts, etc. as part of the training to hold the panda.

Next week learned about the specific type of bamboo the pandas eat.  There is only one type of bamboo grown in the mountains that they will eat because of how tender it is.  Every morning, staff goes up the mountain to harvest the bamboo and truck it back to the research center.  After its return, the bamboo is thoroughly cleaned because even the pollutants in the air could compromise the health of the pandas.  Who knew they were such picky eaters!

After taking turns to clean the bamboo, we gloved up, gowned up, and bootied up so not to spread germs and entered the area to hold the panda.  She was 8 months old.  Her name was Sa.  She was beyond adorable!  May the cuteness begin!

 

The panda keepers put honey on the end of the bamboo as a special treat for the babies being held.

She knew she was out and was reaching for more!  Smart gal! :)

 She was incredible!

And the donation came with a receipt for a tax write off!  Bonus!

Along with the famous giant pandas, the research facility is also home to the red pandas.  They look similar to what we know as a fox and have cat like behaviours.  In one of the red panda areas, there are holes designed into the fence that allow the red pandas to walk right up to you, cross the walking path, and go into another enclosure - very neat!

 

Aren't they neat?!!!

After my appointment, we only had a couple of hours to get to the airport to fly back to Shanghai!

We saw a few more pandas, quickly walked through the museum, then headed out.

Such fun and highly recommended!!!

Thanks for a great time in Chengdu, Laura!

But of course the pandas had one piece of advice before leaving:

 

"Please take one step closer."

If only everyone listened to you pandas, China would be a much cleaner place!

Now back to Shanghai!


 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I later found my 'donation' listed on the research center's website: