| study
& Research Tour on Panda in Chengdu Panda Base 32days
(Following
from Chengdu Panda Base)
The giant
panda is beloved by people from all over the world. It is a symbol of
world biodiversity conservation, peace and friendship. The giant panda is
also nature's gift to Chengdu and the province of Sichuan. It is a special
and highly valued resource in Chengdu.All local and foreign visitors enjoy
the beauty of giant pandas. They are also deeply concerned with the
current status and future of giant pandas.
Giant pandas at the Chengdu Research Base live in large naturalistic
habitats, which help the visitor to understand how these animals live in
the wild . It is an excellent recreational area and a highlight of any
visit to Chengdu.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is located in the
northern suburb of Chengdu on Futou Hill. It is 10 km from downtown
Chengdu, and can be reached by the Panda Road.
Many types of bamboo, trees, and flowers thrive at the Research
Base.Several species of birds also make their home there. The human-made
structures have been designed to blend well with the natural scenery.
Endangered species such as giant pandas, red pandas, and black-necked
cranes reproduce well at the Research Base. Also located at the Research
Base is the Giant Panda Museum which provides interesting educational
information about a variety of species native to China. Eighty five
percent of the habitat for endangered species native to China. Eighty five
percent of the wild panda population resides in Sichuan. Wild giant pandas
can be found in the Chengdu governed areas of Chongzhou, Dujiangyan, Dayi,
Pengzhou, and Qionglai.
The Research Base is one of the important centers in China for the captive
conservation of giant pandas. The current goal is to increase the captive
population of giant pandas.The ultimate goal is to reintroduce giant
pandas to the wild. To achieve this goal certain pandas will be raised in
such a way as to provide them with the necessary skills to survive in the
wild. Reintroduction of captive animals to the wild will both increase the
number of individuals and the genetic diversity of the wild population.
The Research Base hopes to help ensure the survival of giant
pandas and increase the chances for giant pandas to cexist with
humankind.
It is internationally recognized that there are two key methods involved
in the conservation of endangered species:1 ) protection and preservation
of wild habitat, and 2 ) establishment and maintenance of a
self-sustaining survived. From 1963 to 1997,197 giant panda cubs in
131litters were born in
captivity. The overall survival rateis 59.4% ). The overall survival rate
for curbs to the age of three years is 35.5%(in Chengdu this survival rate
48.8%).
The Chengdu Research Base and the Chengdu Zoo jointlyhouse 33% of the
captive giant panda embryo transfer and genome resource banking for
endangered species are focused on. Many famous Chinese scientists are
conducting preliminary research in this laboratory on giant panda embryo
transfer, and have obtained some signigicant results.
The Giant Panda Museum was estabilished in 1992. This is the only museum
in the world which foocuses entirely on the critically endangered giant
panda. In addition to the Giant Panda Museum, a Batterfly and Vertebrate
Museum have also recently been opened. These three separate museums work
collectively to educate visitors. The three separate museums
work collectively to educate visitors. The three museums occupy a total
area 12,450 preserved specimens from 2140 species of
mammals,birds,reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects,
and fossils. Many of the species on exhibit are books from China and other
countries. This is a comprehensive museum which educates
visitors on full range of tropics including: biodiversity,
conservation, reproduction, and wildlife husbandry.
The Research Base has welcomed many levels of goverment officials and over
100,000 visitors from China and scientific achievements of the Research
Base have been highly praised by visitors. As a result of these
achievements, the Research Base have been highly praised by visitors. As a
result of these achievements, the Research Base received the following
awards: 1) Global 500 Award from the United Nations Enviromental Planning
Department; 2)China's Gold Medal for scientific technology of plants,
which is the highest award given for China's enviromental protection, and
3) the Excellent National
Projject for Comprehensive Improvement of Environment Award.
The construction of the Research Base and its achievements exemplify the
Chinese goverment's high level of concern and willingness to take
responsibility for enviromental protection. The Research Base represents
China's highest goals for
enviromental protection. The Research Base represents China's highest
goals for conservation and wildlife management.The Research Base
represents China's highest goals for conservation and wildlife management.
The Chinese goverment's promise to the international society, when it
signed a contract to conserve biodiversity, has been partially
fufilled with the construction of the Research Base.The Research base
promotes Chengdu's captive population. The Chengdu Municipal Goverment
decided to eatablish the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in
March 1987. Leaders of the Central Goverment, Provincial Goverment,and
Municipal Goverment, as well as people
from foreign countries, have all contributed to building the Research
Base. Over a decade of construction has resulted in the completion of the
first and second phases of development. The first and second phases of
development.
The first and second phase encompass an area of 37 hectares and contain:
research buildings, laboratories, veterinary facilities,welcoming
center,and the giant Panda Museum, and naturalistic enclosures for
giant pandas, red pandas and black-necked cranes. The total investment to
date is 50 million RMB(about 6.1 million U.S.dollars).In 1993, the Chengdu
Municial Goverment decided to build the third phrase of the project
convering an area of 203 hectares. The third phrase invovles construction
of enclosures which simulate the wild habitat of giant pandas. The purpose
of these enclosures is to prepare captive-born pandas for reintroduction
into the wild.
The Research Base and the Chengdu Zoo curently house 21 giant pandas, over
20 red pandas, black-necked cranes, and white storks. There are 14 species
of bamboo, and 300 other plant species at the Research Base.
Ninety species of birds also make their home there.
Many talented and knowledgeable scientists work at the Research Base,
which has the most technologically advanced facilities in China.
Scientific ideas and information are exchanged and cooperative research is
conducted between experts at the Research Base scientists in universities
and research institutions throughout China and other countries. Several
breakthoughs have been made by Research Base scientists in basic and
applied research on endangered species, like the giant panda. Fifty
projects have been applied research on endangered species, like the giant
panda. Thirty of these projects have won national,
provincial , and municipal Science Thechnology Awards. Some of these
research projects are the most advanced in the world, such as rearing of
twin cubs by one mother, DNA paternity determination, endangered species
sperm-banking, and etiology and prevention for hemorrighic entertis. In
1993 and 1997, Chengdu hosted two major Panda Symposia.
Since 1980-1997, 46 cubs in 31 litters have
been born in captivity in Chengdu. Of these cubs, 27 cubs have survived.
Mei Mei a female panda from Chengdu has been describes as a "
supermom",because she gave birth to 11 cubs in nine litters of which
seven cubs survived. Her daughter Qing Qing surpassed her by giving birth
to 10 cubs in six litters, and they reputation as the "hometown"
of giant pandas. One of the highlights of any visit to Chengdu,the
Research Base helps visitors to become familiar with Chengdu and giant
pandas. Visitors are also educated about enviromental protection and
science.
In 1993, The Chengdu Municipal Government agreed with the Chengdu Travel
Bureau's plan to construct the China Panda City in Chengdu. The Research
Base is one of the main parts of the China panda City and
encompasses an area of 240 hectares. The second part of the China Panda
City is a tourism development area, which will be 170 hectares in size.
The Research Base was built by the Chengdu Garden Bureau. The tourism
development area will be built by Chengdu Tourism Bureau.
|