Today we went to the Panda Field Research Center in Du Jiang Yan.
Panda Field Research Center
This place is still under construction,
and is basically a place to train captive Pandas
to release into the wild in the future.
The main purpose of breeding Pandas and raising them
in Chengdu Panda Base is not just to increase their numbers,
but their final goal is to release them into wild life again
so that they can increase their numbers by themselves
like they did in the past.
I think that we have to find so many solutions in order to achieve this task,
but the facility is a place to train Pandas so that they can eventually
live just as they do in the wild.
The first captive Panda was originally found around this area,
and many wild Pandas really do live in this forest
which means that the environment and climate
is suitable for the captive Pandas to have trainings.
Captive Pandas are planned to be trained in 3 steps
before being released and the 3 steps are as follows:
1. Entrance of Valley
They will bring 2 pandas from Chengdu Panda Base.
This will be the adaptation area, where they help
the Pandas to get used to the local weather
and environment to be released in the wild in the future.
The human and Pandas will have interaction with each other in many ways.
2. Semi Wild Area
This is a place where only a few human can have interaction with the Pandas.
The captive Pandas have lost the capabilitiy to live
in wild after their long life in Chengdu Panda Base,
and their main purpose is to
・Teach them how to choose and find food, such as bamboos and others by themselves.
・Teach them what kind of water they can/ cannot drink
・Teach them the Friendly animals / Dangerous animals.
This area is to let Pandas take a step forward from Captive environment to Wild environment.
3. Totally Wild Area
There will be no interactions between human and Pandas.
Only researchers and specialists can enter the place
in order to know the results.
Pandas get to find food for themselves,
and live on their own without the help of human.
(The section is still a part of the Field Research Center)
After these process, the Pandas will finally be released into the real Wild.
The problem is, that there have actually been
a few captive Pandas that had been released in the past,
but none of them came up with a satisfactory result.
They have died after a few months,
some because of fights with other Pandas,
and some because of other reasons that I do not know.
It shows that breeding, raising and releasing Pandas is the process
to save them, but the task is so difficult, and will surely take
many years to accomplish.
After the brief introduction of the Field Research Center,
we went to plant bamboo for the Pandas!!
Planting bamboo with host family!!
12 Pambassadors have planted bamboo for the Pandas!
Unfortunately, today we did not get to meet any Pandas,
so I will upload pictures and videos from Day 1-3 as soon as I can!
Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara
