Located just 10 km (6 miles) away from downtown, the
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has been created and
imitated the natural habitat of giant pandas in order that they might have the best possible environment for rearing and breeding.
The
giant pandas are not only a Chinese national treasure but are also
beloved by people the world over. They are found only in Sichuan,
Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. In total there are fewer than 2,000, of
which 70% are distributed within the territory of Sichuan Province.
Therefore, when visitors from home and abroad come to Chengdu, Sichuan,
one of their main objectives will be to see this lovely animal for
themselves.
The base cares also for other rare and endangered
wild animals with an area of 560 mus (92 acres), 96% of which is
verdure. Giant pandas, lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, white storks
as well as over 20 species of rare animals are fed and bred there.
Verdant bamboo, bright flowers, fresh air, a natural hill scene and a
beautiful artificial view are merged ingeniously at the base.
The
necessary facilities have been completed and include a fodder room,
sleeping quarters and a medical station. Additionally there is a museum
together with research laboratories and a training center.
A
great number of plants and as many as ten thousand clumps of bamboos
and bushes have been cultivated to provide for the animals' diet and
habitat. The base is planned to be expanded by another 3,000 mus (500
acres) of land on which to simulate a natural environment in order to
prepare the giant pandas bred for release into the wild.
The
Giant Panda Museum was opened in 1993 to further scientific education
and to improve public awareness of the protection of both wild creatures
and their environment. This is the world's only thematic museum for
rare and endangered animal species. The three main exhibitions are in
the Giant Panda Hall, the Butterfly Hall and the Vertebrate Hall. The
exhibits include all kinds of precious pictures, more than 800 materials
and show more than 2,140 different samples gathered in Sichuan. These
include examples of animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects as
well as fossils and models. The resources held in store at the museum
include up to ten thousand samples as well as a library of thousands of
books and documents. This excellent and comprehensive museum provides a
wonderful venue for all who are interested in seeing something of the
propagation and protection of the region's natural bio-diversity.