【Location】Chengdu City, Sichuan Provice
【Type】 Research Base
【Rank】 ★★★★
【Recommended Time to stay】 Half Day
【Opening Hours】7:30-18:00

The Giant Panda is an endangered animal found only in western China, because of human encroachment, the panda's habitat is now reduced to six isolated patches mainly in Sichuan. Pandas are related to bears, though they are significantly different in many ways. Bamboo is the main source of food for pandas and they spend at least 12 hours a day eating. Bamboo is a poor source of nutrition for pandas, so they eat as much as 38kg of it a day. One reason why yhe habitat range of the panda is limited is because they only eat specific species of bamboo found within their homerange, and the area are becoming progressively smaller.

The lifespan of pandas in the wild is unknown, but pandas in captivity live 14 to 20 years. The female panda begins to breed it's around six or seven years old and usually delivers only one or two panda cubs. The average weight of a newborn baby is only 100g compared to the 150kg of its mother. The newborn cub is completely helpless; it has no fur and cannot open its eyes and will be completely dependent on its mother for the next few years.

Today the number of pandas in the wild is uncertain, but estimates put the number at around a thousand. The Chinese government has encated laws and funded conservation efforts to protect the pandas.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, or simply Chengdu Panda Base, is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals. It is located in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.The Chengdu Panda Base was established in 1987 and to begin with had a total of 6 cubs. Over the years the Base has managed to breed 124 cubs of which 83 survived and today efforts are still in place to help save the endangered species. Here you can get up close and personal with the adorable creatures and see their daily lives within the enclosed habitat.

The Panda Base is currently in its third phase of expansion where the area will be increased from 106 hectares to 200 hectares. The proposed expansion will create more space and area of other endangered species such as the Red Panda and the Golden Monkeys. People from all nations are welcome to adopt pandas through naming them with an accompanying donation. Pandas are national treasures and also goodwill ambassadors. Wildlife observation spots opened in Panda Base attract explorers, tourists, animal-lovers as well as scientists. Occasionally wild pandas may show up in the Reserve. Every year more than 100, 000 visitors come to Wolong National Natural Reserve which is perfect for Chengdu Panda tours. Its stated goal is to be a world-class research facility, conservation education center, and international educational tourism destination.