Chengdu and the Giant Pandas
Chengdu is the capitol of Sichuan province. It is a moderately sized Chinese city of twelve million people and most of the world's Pandas.
|
|
|
|
|
click images for enlargements & additional photos...
|
|
|
The Chinese government, in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund and others did a census of Pandas in 2002.
They concluded that there were approximately 2000 Pandas in the world: an increase from 1,400.
(There is debate about whether this represented
an increase in pandas or better census methods. In either case the number of wild pandas is
still an estimate as much of the identification was made using dna of bear scat and reported sightings. )
|
There is a Panda preserve in Chengdu where you can photograph the Red Panda. Red Pandas are in the same family
as the Giant Panda (Ursidae - Bear); although they more closely resemble
raccoons. They closer to the raccoon in size and coat
pattern, with red and white rather than brown and white coats. Great & Red pandas share that name - Panda -
which means "eater of bamboo" in Nepalese, and Red Pandas are also endangered by habitat loss. The current
population is estimated to be fewer than 2,500 adults.
There are a few Giant Pandas in the Chengdu preserve as well, but the place to see and photograph
Pandas is in Wolong, a 5-6 hour drive away. Wolong is home of the research
center which has perfected methods of breeding and raising panda babies in captivity.
A mother Panda often has two cubs but usually only one survives in the wild.
The preserve has not only overcome captive breeding obstacles, it is also successful in raising both cubs.
|
|
3
