Aili, Meilan, Bindian, Kouhin（幸浜 XingBang）, Ryuhin（隆浜 LongBang), and Shuhin（秋浜 QiuBang)@ CRBGPB

Aili born in 2011 now weighs over 90kg. It's hard to believe that she was so tiny when I was taking care of her back then. It was the first time for me to see a mother panda give birth to a tiny fragile cub. Lili was such a great mother, and all the memory comes back to me when I see Aili even now. She has all the resemblance from her father Shuhin (秋浜 QiuBang).

2011年生まれのAiliちゃんは、お父さんの秋浜にますます似てきました。90キロを越す元気な子に育っています。

Please correct me if I'm wrong, this should be ErQiao, also born in 2011.

Two 2011 borns leaning on each other, enjoying their bamboo.

Meilan was showing off his charm eating his bamboo shoot. I like the way he smells them each time he starts eating. 

And then he started hiding his bamboo shoot from me again. I'm not a bamboo shoot thief!! (Well, I love bamboo shoot, but I wouldn't dare to steal it from Meilan...)

Bindian is awake every time I go to see him since I have started coming to Panda Base on Sunday. He is eating eating and eating all day... I wonder if he goes to sleep sometimes. He has such a good appetite.

Kouhin's (幸浜 XingBang) Mickey Mouse ears. I love watching him from this angle.

幸浜は、しばらくの間外の運動場に出して貰えていないようです。
隣に住む実の祖母の蘇蘇と、お互いが気になって仕方がないようです。
何か感じるところがあるのでしょうか。結構激しく吠えあっているという話です。

Ryuhin's (隆浜 LongBang) Mickey Mouse ears.

隆浜は、ここ最近食欲が旺盛で体重が120キロ近くに増えたそうです。そういえば一時期のほっそりした感じはなくなってきたようです。後姿もさすがに貫禄があります。

He's such a handsome boy!

Shuhin (秋浜 QiuBang) chewing on his bamboo shoot.

 おじさんみたいな食べ方・・・パンダがやると可愛いですね。

I hope he was having sweet dreams.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

Eihin (YongBang), Ryuhin (LongBang), Shuhin (QiuBang), Meilan and Sunshine cubs@CRBGPB

This morning, Eihin(YongBang) was sleeping peacefully at No. 1 Enclosure. I haven't seen him awake since I have arrived in Chengdu. And it's already been three days... I wonder if I can see him awake tomorrow. Who knows?

The weather in Chengdu is quite strange this year. It's already the end of June which means that usually it should be soooo hot that the pandas are kept inside, but somehow it has been raining everyday and is very cold. It's good for the pandas because they can stay outside all day. Ryuhin (LongBang) was chewing on his bamboo shoot so fast, I guess he must have been starving to death.

Shuhin (QiuBang) was eating bamboo shoot as well.

But then he went to sleep soon after.

Meilan was active today. He came across to say hi to everyone.

This afternoon, the 2013 born cubs were asleep on the same tree as usual. They are wet and dirty because of the heavy rain.

So peaceful.

This is Pambassador David Algranti's panda, WuYi. He used to be good at standing up to get his favorite panda cake, but it seems like he's been lazy these days.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

Kouhin (Xing Bang) and Shuhin (Qiu Bang) @ CRBGPB

I have been invited to a China / Japan friendship event by the Sichuan Government and will be staying in Chengdu for a week.

Today was my first day at the Chengdu Panda Base. The Golden Panda was shining as ever to welcome me.

In the morning, I went to meet Shuhin (Qiu Bang) at the Yong Cub's enclosure. Mr. Tang gives him an excersize everyday with the "Panda Cake fishing rod" so that he will be ready for natural mating soon.

Kouhin was waiting for his bamboo this afternoon. "I'm fed up with bamboo shoot. Could you please bring me some bamboo? Or some apples would be perfect!"

After finishing all his apples and bamboo, Kouhin was ready to go to sleep.

 "I'm sorry Yumi, but it's so hot and I have to go to sleep to keep my appetite. See you tomorrow!"

Tomorrow there will be a ceremony at the Chengdu Panda Base.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

Global Search for Chengdu Pambassasdor 2012 ~Panda Quest~

Global Search for Chengdu Pambassador 2012 launch Ceremony

On 10th September 2012, the press conference was held in Shanghai for Panda Quest, to search for the next Chengdu Pambassadors. The next three Pambassadors will participate in the global panda conservation tour in 2013, a globe trotting experience to visit pandas all over the world and initiate local activities to raise awareness for endangered animal protection. This year's program shifts the focus from panda breeding and rehabilitation in captivity to reintroduction into the wild.

From right to left,Dr. Zhang Zhihe, Director of Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Ms. Yang Fang, Assistant County Director, UNDP China
Mr. Jiang Chu, Deputy-Directer of the Forestry Bureau of Sichuan
Mr. Peter Knights, Founder of WildAid
Mr. Yao Ming,, former NBA basketball player
Yumiko Kajiwara, Pambassador 2010
Ali Shakorian. Pambassador 2010 

Pambassador Ali (from Sweden) and I did a speech to introduce Pambassador 2010 and to talk about the wonderful experiences we had as Pambassadors.
Pambassador 2010 Official Website

If you have a strong passion to nature and animal conservation, and are willing to learn and spread the word about complex dynamics of animal conservation, apply now and become next Pambassador! For further information about Panda Quest, please click here:
Panda Quest, search for next Pambassadors

Here are the links to news about the press conference in Shanghai.
FIRSTPOST
People's Daily Online
CNN GO
Nikkei Shinbun Online

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding Official Website
WildAid Official Website


Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

YaYa and 2010 born cubs, MeiLan, ShuHin and BingDian @ CRBGPB

Today was my last day at the Chengdu Panda Base,
and I went to say "see you" to all the pandas here.

ErXi and the 2010 born cubs were enjoying bamboo
with YaYa at Sunshine Nursery. YaYa will soon move
to another enclosure, and the 2010 born cubs are
moving to other enclosures also. They only have a
few more days they can spend together.

YaYa has been taking great care of all seven of the
2010 born cubs for nearly a year and a half.
Everytime I was there, the cubs were all over her,
but YaYa never ignored them and was very kind to them.
I loved watching them spending time together
and will miss them very much.

ErXi and the 2010 born cubs have grown up in the
past few months, and the way they eat bamboo is
just like adult pandas. They smell the leaves first,
pick the good part and makes bamboo leaf "sandwhiches"
and bite them in a bunch.

ErXi looks like a miniture version of
his father Shuhin (QiuBang, 秋浜).
It's always interesting to see the resemblance
of their parents, to see how the DNA
passes on to the next generation.

I love ErXi's white teeth.

And how he closes his eyes to enjoy
his favorite food.

Now he has grown up as a panda.
He is not soft and fluffy like he was anymore.

MeiLan was enjoying his bamboo in the afternoon.
I was happy that he was awake for me!

MeiLan is quite picky with food.
He only eats the good part, and throws away
the part he doesn't prefer.

Shuhin (QiuBang, 秋浜) has moved to
Moonlight enclosure from Quarantine
quite a while ago. Now he looks happy
with his outside den. He is ErXi's father.

BingDian has moved from No.14 to
Sunshine Nursery where LiLi had been.
Kouhin (XingBang, 幸浜) moved to
where BingDian was.

I will miss them very much after I go back to Japan,
but will be back very soon!

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara