French pandas in quarantine @ CRBGPB

My Pambassador friend David from France is here in Chengdu for the two events that are taking place this week at the Chengdu Panda Base: Opening of Dujiangyan Field Research Center and the pair of giant pandas being sent to France on January 15th, 2012.

On January 9th David went to quarantine to see the pandas, YuanZi and HuanHuan that are coming to France. Here are a few pictures that were taken by the photographer who was accompanying him and a video David shot himself.

Pambassador David Algranti and HuanHuan.














YuanZi looking cute.

On the next pictures YuanZi is on the left and HuanHuan on the right.

Keeper Mr. Zhang Hao will go to France with the pandas and will stay in Beauval Zoo for several months to share his knowledge and make sure that the pandas adapt well.

David is happy that these great pandas are chosen.

Here is the video.



David tells me:
“I am sure that everyone will fall in love with YuanZi and HuanHuan as soon as they meet them in France, and I hope it will make people want to come and visit the Panda Base in Chengdu, Sichuan, to meet YuanZi and HuanHuan’s relatives and all the other wonderful pandas. There are over a hundred pandas there. Another great reason to come is Chengdu itself, one of the most modern and exciting cities in China, especially renowned for its delicious cuisine and beautiful popular and historic places (don’t miss Jinli, the Wide and Narrow Lane, DuFu’s Thatched Cottage, Jinsha Museum, and my personal favourite: Renmin Park, where everyone is always dancing).”

Link to the Beauval Zoo in France

Pambassadors David Algranti and Yumiko Kajiwara

Reintroduction Project - Six Giant Pandas moved to Dujiangyan Field Research Center

This morning a huge ceremony was held in
Chengdu Panda Base Dujiangyan Field Research Center.
This reintroduction center is located in Majiagou,
Yutang Town just outside of Chengdu with a
total investment of RMB 200 million.
They have completed the first stage of construction
and six giant pandas,  XingRong(female, 4), XingYa (female, 4),
GongZai (male, 3), YingYing (male, 3),
ZhiZhi (female, 2) and QiQi (female, 2) were moved to
Dujiangyan Field Research Center from Chengdu Panda Base. 

Panda Ambassador, Yao Ming gave a speech.
He mentioned in his speech that he is happy
that now the reintroduction project has
started after all these years of rescuing
wild pandas and the progress they have made
in giant panda research.

YingYing moved to Dujiangyan Field Research Center
in this cage. 

The Dujiangyan Field Research Center is consisted of
three sections. The first stage is the experimental area
where the pandas get used to the new environment.
After they get used to the experimental area,
they will move on to the second stage which is the
semi-wild reintroduction area.
This is a picture of the experimental area, the first stage.

They also have their inside enclosures just like they do
in Chengdu Panda Base.

All the journalists were walking with Yao Ming.
I knew that he must be huge, but we can see how
tall he is with everyone around him!

QiQi seemed happy with the new environment.
She went high up in the tree where she could
fall asleep safely. YingYing, GongZai,
ZhiZhi and QiQi are in the same outside
playground together.

QiQi looked so peaceful.

ZhiZhi was enjoying her new enclosure as well.

 

GongZai walked around his
outside playground to explore the new environment.
He found some apples that the keepers hid
in their outside playground.
The pandas will be trained from now on
so that they could adapt to the new area.

 

The reintroduction project has just begun.
It will be a long way to go to release pandas
back to the wild where they belong.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

YuanZi and HuanHuan will go to France

This morning the press conference was held
at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
about the pair of giant pandas that will go to
ZooParc de Beauval in France.

The pair of Pandas, YuanZi (Male) and HuanHuan (Female)
will leave Chengdu for France on a special "panda jet"
on 15 January 2012. They are now at the quarantine,
preparing for their leave.

Dr. Zhang Zhihe, director of the Panda Base gave a
speech that the pair will be loaned to France for a
conservation and research program.
Ms. Hou Rong, Director of the Research Center
talked about the current research progress and that the
population of captive pandas around the world has reached 328.
Mr. Huang Xiangmin, Curator of Animal Management Department
explained basic information about the pair of pandas that have
been chosen to go to France.
Ms. Liu Li, the veterinary who will attend
Yuanzi and HuanHuan to France on the special panda jet
talked about the current situation of Yuanzi and HuanHuan
at the quarantine. Ms. Liu Li will stay in France for six months
until the pair will get used to the new environment.
French Pambassador, David Algranti in the right was
introduced to the media.

This is Yuanzi, born in 6 September, 2008.
I took this picture on 29 September 2011
when he was still at No. 2 enclosure with
Gongzi (the model of Kungfu panda),
YingYing, NiNi, QiFu and HuanHuan.
YuanZi is a very strong active panda
who loves eating and climbing trees.

This is HuanHuan born in 8 August 2008
during the Beijing Olympic games.
This picture was taken on the same day
as YuanZi when she was with her friends
waiting for apples. She has a cute round face
with white fur.

I will miss them very much since I have been
taking care of them from 2010, but ZooParc de Beauval
has beautiful panda enclosures, and I am happy
for everyone in France that these adorable
pandas were chosen.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

RyuHin（隆浜）,KouHin（幸浜）and ErXi（二喜）@ CRBGPB

This morning, I went to take care of YaYa
at the Sunshine Nursery. YaYa was enjoying
her bamboo with ErXi and other 2010 born cubs
when I arrived early this morning.

ErXi smells the leaves before he eats them,
although I have a feeling that he doesn't quite
understand what he is doing. He's probably just
trying to copy what YaYa does.

"Hi Yumi, how are you today?
I'm happy to be with YaYa,
she teaches me everything I need to know,
like climbing trees, eating bamboo
and how to play with my friends!"

ErXi waved his bamboo to show off that
he has something very interesting.

He closed his eyes to enjoy the taste of
fresh bamboo. (again, I'm not sure
if he really knows how good it tastes)
The pandas at Chengdu Panda Base are
really lucky because they can have
fresh bamboo everyday. There are many
mountains around Suchuan province
full of nature, and tons of them arrive
fresh everyday.

ErXi has beautiful white teeth.
It looks like he had braces.

All the 2010 born cubs have their favorite tree.
They squash into their favorite spot to take a nap,
sometimes pushing their friends away.
I can almost hear them saying
"Hey, I was here first! Don't push!!"

Here is a picture of toys for the 2011 born cubs.
The tiny cubs love playing with toys and are curious
with everything they see.

After doing my keepers job at the Sunshine Nursery,
I went to see KouHin（幸浜）.
He was sleeping in the distance, but as soon as
I called his name in Japanese,  he came rushing
towards me as usual.

"Hello Yumi, can I have something to eat?
Is it time for panda cakes?"

As soon as he realized that I don't have
any food with me today,
he went away to eat fresh bamboo.
Sorry KouHin, I'll make sure to bring
something good for you next time!

I went to take care of RyuHin （隆浜）
in the afternoon. He was fast asleep
when I arrived.

We called him inside to feed him his favorite apples,
and to my surprise, he came inside immediately!
We gave him apples and then gave him a shower to clean him,
then called him outside again so that we could feed him
with fresh bamboo.
"Can I have some bamboo?"

"PLEASE?"

He tried to climb the walls to come close to me.

RyuHin was very happy with his fresh bamboo.

He has some fur missing on his right ear.
Could it be from a few years ago when
RyuHin's twin younger brother ShuHin （秋浜）
pulled out his fur?  RyuHin looks special
because he has some fur missing on his
black eyepatches.

He bites a big mouth full of bamboo leaves.
RyuHin doesn't eat panda cakes, but instead
he eats a lot of bamboo.

This is my favorite angle.
He looks like his father EiMei（永明）in
Adventure World Shirahama.

French Pambassador David arrived this evening,
and we will go to the Panda Base tomorrow together.

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara

MeiLan, KeBi, ShuLan, Sunshine Nursery and KouHin @ CRBGPB

Today was my second day at the Chengdu Panda Base
and I was lucky to see MeiLan awake this time!
MeiLan was taking a nap in the afternoon,
but soon he woke up and started to eat fresh bamboo.
"Hello all my fans around the world, I'm doing fine here in Chengdu!"
He reacted very well when the keeper called his name
with a Chinese (Sichuan) accent.

"Many people think I'm always sleeping,
but there are times that I am awake if you watch me carefully!"

He was excited with his fresh bamboo and lied down to enjoy the rest.

KeBi who lives next doors to MeiLan
woke up as well when we went to feed him with
his favorite panda cakes.

He also lied down to enjoy fresh bamboo.

KeBi seemed to be happy covered all over with bamboo.

He suddenly stood up and found an extra panda cake
that was hidden underneeth his fresh bamboo.

KeBi never lies down when he eats panda cakes.
He sits down so that he can run away from his
enemies at any time.(Although he doesn't actually
have to be aware of enemies here at Panda Base...)

ShuLan lives next doors to KeBi,
and she enjoyed her afternoon snack too.
ShuLan is MeiMei's twin sister who passed away
in 2008 in Adventure World Shirahama.

"I can eat apples and panda cakes at the same time!"

ErXi was enjoying bamboo with YaYa.
It's amazing how easily he can break bamboo
so that he could eat all the leaves he can.
Last time I was in Chengdu, he was still having
difficulty eating bamboo which shows how
strong he has become in the past few months.

"Everyone says that I look more like my
father ShuHin! Do you agree with this?"
To me he looks like tiny ShuHin and he
reminds me of ShuHin when he was young.

I love watching him with such a happy face!

All seven of the 2010 born cubs are spending time with
YaYa. YaYa is taking great care of them.
She is such a great mother.

KouHin was eating bamboo when I went to see him,
but as soon as I called out his name in Japanese, he got too excited
and showed me his joy with his cute little dance.
And I was sooooo happy that I missed taking pictures of him!
I'll try again tomorrow!

Pambassador Yumiko Kajiwara