Background
Few people do not know about the Giant Panda. Their symbolic black
and white fur-colour distinguishes them well from any other animals. Giant
Panda, with only about one thousand left in the wild, is also the most
well known endangered animal in the world. The rare animal is endemic to
China, though some of the habitats were found in northern Vietnam and
other nearby areas over half a million years ago. Since the very
beginning, most of the research works on Giant Panda have been carrying
out on-site at the Giant Panda's natural habitats.
Wolong is a part of the Sichuan Province of China. From Chengdu, it is
about four hours' drive. Further drive from Wolong through the Balang Shan
(Balang Mountain) will take you to Jiusaigou. Wolong is a highland with
almost one thousand meters above sea level. The altitude brings it high
contrast of weather among the four seasons of a year.
The Giant Panda Reserve is not all of Wolong. There are many other
sites along the way from the fields to the mountaintops worth visit.
WOLONG
GIANT PANDA BREEDING
CENTRE The Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Centre was
one of the earliest research bases established in the early 1980s by the
Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Until 1989, the
Ministry of Forestry of PRC and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
formulated the long-term Giant Panda Management Plan.
Today, the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Centre has been turned into the Giant
Panda Breeding Centre focusing on research works on breeding and
bamboo ecology. Much other research works are being carried out at other
Reserves such as the one in Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province.
The Centre basically takes care of giant pandas under three situations:
when the giant pandas are brought up from captive
breeding,
when the giant pandas are somehow dispersed from the
group, or are rescued from injury, and have lost the ability to survive
if released back to the wild,
when the giant panda are ready to be released back t to
the wild.
The Centre has two types of 'accommodations' for giant pandas - the
Captive Cages and the Semi-nature Enclosures.
Most of the giant pandas in the Centre stay individually in the captive
cages, which are in fact large enclosures, each consists of an in-door
room and an out-door courtyard.
The semi-nature enclosures are very large wild areas but protected by
border fences. Those giant pandas that will soon be released back to the
wild will be put in the semi-nature enclosures for a long enough period of
time for them to adapt to the natural environment. Although food has to be
provided, the giant pandas will sleep there, eat there and recover their
natural survival skills there until they can be released back to the wild.
LESSER
PANDA SEMI-NATURE CENTRE Lesser Panda, also called Red
Panda or Small Panda (in Chinese languages), is another type of endangered
bear. They look very much different from giant panda - they are much
smaller, have brown and black fur, have a long tails, are more active, and
are skilled clambers. But they are no less cute and lovely than the giant
panda.
The Lesser Panda Semi-Nature Centre locates right next to the Giant
Panda Breeding Centre. The purpose and setup of the facility is the same
as that of the Giant Panda Breeding Centre. Except that it does not need
as much of space as the Giant Panda Breeding Centre to hold the smaller
size Lesser Pandas.
WUYIPENG
To go to Wuyipeng, a hiking of five hundred meters up hill is needed.
Except when the trail is covered with melting ice during late winter, the
walk is easy.
Wuyipeng was once a research facility of the Giant Panda Reserve Centre.
It was intentionally located closer to the habitat of the Giant Panda for
the researchers' more convenient access to the habitat. Owing to the
relocating of many of the research works to other Giant Panda Reserves,
Wuyipeng is no long fully functioning. However, weather statistics are
still being recorded daily to provided limited information for the
existing Giant Panda Breeding Centre.
Occasionally, local or overseas research students on related subjects
will come to conduct academic researches and borrow the accommodation
facilities.
BALANG
SHAN (BALANG MOUNTAIN)
Balang Shan runs three thousand meters further high towards the sky. The
mountaintop is about four thousand meters above sea level. Going up the
mountain, you will see different types of plants grow to adapt to the
change in temperature, humidity, amount of sunlight and air pressure due
to the change in altitude. The phenomenon is more obvious when the plants
bloom during spring and summer.
For birdwatchers, Balang Shan caters different types of birds along the
changing altitude. Far before reaching the mountaintop, you will be able
to see birds of prey flying below your feet. I saw the backs of two flying
Golden Eagles on my way up!
OTHERS
Other
sites spread alongside the Min River within Wolong also have spectacular
views and are good for taking photos and birdwatching. For
instance, at Yingchanggou you can find stones with high mineral contents.
An exhibition centre exhibits many information and specimen of the area.
If you have got the time, energy and patient, you may even do a serious
hiking to track for wild giant pandas' foot prints.
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