 ChengDu
Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Review
 Chengdu
Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (also known as Giant Panda Base)
is a place where all panda fans should visit. The giant pandas are considered
the "National Treasure" of China. It is depressing to see such
beautiful creature listed as an endangered species. Chengdu Research Base
of Giant Panda Breeding is dedicated to preserving this lovable animal.
Is it worth visiting Chengdu, China just to see these pandas? Read this
review below to find out more!
In June 2009, I took a trip to Chengdu, China to see my favorite animal,
the Giant Panda. My first stop in this city was the Chengdu Research Base
of Giant Panda Breeding. To promote tourism in Chengdu, visitors had the
option to purchase a prepaid "Gold / Silver Panda Card". This
promotion began in 2009 and allowed users to free admissions to various
tourist attractions, and offered discounts at numerous retail outlets
in Chengdu.
The cost of admission for the Panda Base was 50 RMB, equivalent to approximately
$10 USD($1USD = $6.7 RMB at the time). The first stop at the Giant Panda
Base was the red panda exhibition. It was here where I saw 4-5 red pandas
wandering around. There was a sign that shows you can have a chance to
hold a red panda if you were to make a contribution to the Chengdu Research
Base of Giant Panda Breeding. I heard from a source that it was $100 RMB.
Every exhibitions after that was all about the giant pandas. You'll usually
see the giant adult pandas in groups of 3-5, but there were time when
some were alone by themselves. All of them was either sleeping or eating,
mostly sleeping. Unfortunately I didn't get to see any baby panda cubs
out in the open.
 I
inquired about the chance to hold a panda and was told that if I contributed
$500 RMB, I could take pictures with an adult panda, and if I contributed
$1000 RMB ($150USD), I could hold and take pictures with a panda cub.
Although the cost seem a bit extreme to just snap a couple of photos with
my favorite animal, the money would go towards the panda research and
breeding program. For this good cause I told the workers there that I
was willing to contribute for both the adult and the baby panda. They
told me that only the panda cub was available at the time, so I accepted.
When they asked me if it was OK for them to provide me with a receipt
for my contribution, I found it a bit suspicious. Were the workers pocketing
the money for themselves? Who knows... but I was too big of a panda fan
to turn down this opportunity.
Before I was able to take pictures and videos with panda cub, I had to
follow a particular dress code. I was given a few thin layered protective
gears to cover my shoes, body, and hands. - what was it for? Perhaps it
was to prevent the spread of germs between the panda and I, but if that
was the case, where was my face mask? Once I was fully attired in my new
outfit, I sat down on a bench full of excitement. Then it was time...
When the panda came out, it did NOT look like a baby. I was expecting
a small cuddly baby panda when they said he was only 4 months old, but
the panda that they brought out was huge! He must have been eating good,
because he wasn't light at all. He must have weighed a good 80 pounds
or so. Now the question that everyone must be asking - how was my experience?
They placed the cute panda cub on my lap. The lady that worked there helped
me take pictures using my camera. During this time, the cute panda cub
at first didn't really move and just sat there, then it started moving
around and one of the workers then gave the panda a slice of fruit. At
one point, the baby panda lifted its paw up and displayed it sharp claws
inches from my face. I wasn't scared but it made the experience so real.
After a two minute photoshoot, the panda cub went back to his shelter
and it was over.
After this surreal moment with the baby panda, I was off to more giant
panda exhibitions and came upon a tourist service center which was a combination
of a panda museum and a panda gift shop. The panda museum is a huge source
of information on pandas. There you'll find old historic record books
on pandas, panda bones and skulls, and artistic rendering of pandas. Everything
that you ever wanted to know about pandas can be found here with this
wealth of information at their panda tourist service center.
After three hours at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding,
my visit was over. Although it cost me $1000 RMB to hold the cute baby
panda cub, I thought it was well worth it. The pictures and videos that
I took were priceless and something that I will cherish forever. So in
the end, my recommendation for all panda lovers is that if you're ever
in China, and near the Chengdu area - definitely give the Chengdu Research
Base of Giant Panda Breeding a visit. It's not like a regular zoo where
you only get to see one or two panda in an enclosure. The panda base is
like a zoo just for pandas with close to 50 pandas! It's well worth the
admission to just see all the cute red pandas and giant pandas. If you
can afford to contribute the money then be sure to take advantage of the
opportunity to hold a panda. It's a rare experience that you will never
forget.
Be sure to check out our numerous pictures and videos of all the giant
pandas and red pandas from Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding!
To top it off AsiaFinest is also offering a rare and extremely cute
panda figures sets.
Review was written by Ben Li of AsiaFinest.com
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