This particular moment was special, and one I will probably look back on the most. Here, we were welcomed by scenic mountains, bamboo forests and of course, panda poop - but this time in the wild! As we braced ourselves in the snow layered in thick clothing (which made our movements mimic those of giant pandas themselves), we toured an outdoor enclosure where pandas who were bred in captivity are kept to prepare themselves for release.īefore getting back on the bus, I took a moment to admire the fresh mountain air and bask in the warm sun. We explored one of these wild panda habitats on our fifth day in Chengdu as we drove northwest from the city to Longchi National Forest Park, a.k.a. These include rare and vulnerable species such as the golden monkey, takin and the red panda who are often ignored and therefore rely on their popular neighbour to keep them from harm. By protecting the habitats of the giant panda, we are also protecting the animals that they share these habitats with. The giant panda - as our fellow French Champion and researcher, Jerome, informed us - are what experts call an “umbrella species”. Giant pandas, however, are not the only animals that the Panda Research Base are protecting.
Not to forget the food: Sichuan province is known for its spicy cuisine and hot tea which is the perfect combination to warm you up in the winter and makes for a sensational dining experience as well!įishing for pandas: watch me feed a panda an apple on live TV. From learning about the success of panda conservation to teaching elementary school children about the Global Goals, we exchanged as much knowledge and passion of promoting sustainable development as we could. Our week long stay in the heart of China was truly an experience of a lifetime. Cleaning panda cages (and being covered in panda poop) were among the many fun activities we got the chance to take part in.
We were two among the seventeen Champions for the Global Goals who were invited from across the world to China, where we met our adorable panda ambassadors, Qiqi and Diandian, and gained an insight into animal conservation. Panda poop! I was covered in panda poop as Xinuo and I cleaned cages at the Panda Research Base in Chengdu. Panda Road Primary school: where every student dreams of becoming a future Panda Champion.