The Pandas of the Sichuan Reserve!

The Pandas of the Sichuan Reserve!

Unfortunately, Giant Pandas are a highly endangered species. Luckily one heritage site and reserve in China safely holds more than 30% of the world's panda population. These beautiful bears have more than 2 million acres there to roam, snack and play.   It is also the most important breeding site for pandas in captivity, with 7 nature reserves, 9 scening parks and the Wolong national nature reserve, which alone is home to more than 150 giant pandas.

The biggest sanctuary for Pandas is the world heritage site in China, which covers more than 2,284,489 acres. More than 150 giant pandas call this place home, like this adorable giant panda cub.

A dozen panda cubs in a crib. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary has one of the most significant breeding site for giant pandas, who are infamous for being difficult breeders in captivity. A panda baby is born pink, blind and without any teeth. After a few weeks, the skin will turn grey, and by the time a month passes, the cubs are covered in the well known (and extremely fluffy) black and white fur. A panda cub will weigh about 100 pounds (45 kilos) by the time they are one year old.

16 pandas at the wolong national nature reserve, a part of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries. Some claim that of the 1600 or so giant pandas left in the world, more than 300 are in zoos, breeding centers and research institutes. Most of the pandas still in the wild live in China.

It's hard to be a panda. A panda taking one of their many naps for the day.

Frisky youngling hanging out with a tress. Panda cubs start climbing trees when they are no older than six months old.

Up close and personal with a 7 month old panda at the Wolong Nature Reserve.

Now we're getting to 17 panda cubs in one photo! That must be the greatest place to be for fluffiness lovers.

Trees are the La-Z-Boy of the panda world.

Playful panda at the Chengdu Research Base, which studies how giant pandas breed.

Mommy panda holding her little baby protectively at the research center.

The giant panda has a very large paw with 5 fingers and an added 'thumb' for clmbing and holding on to bamboo while eating.

It's nice to share. 4 Pandas sharing a tree to climb on at Wolong National Nature Reserve.

Baby panda weight about 100-200 grams (3.5 to 7 ounces) at birth and are about 15-17 cm (6-7 inch) long.

The giant panda is one of the most well known endangered species. The sanctuaries cover an area of more than 2 million acres! These include 7 nature reserves and 9 scenic parks.

Cuddling pandas at Wolong nature reserve.

The average panda can eat as much as 9-14 kg (20-30 pounds) of bamboo shoots every single day.

A young panda. As they become adults, pandas may measure about 1.2-1.8 meters (4-6 feet) long, including the tail.

Lazy play time for young panda.

Three 'teen' pandas at Wolong. The average pandas weight is about 100-115 kg (220-250 pounds), while male pandas may achieve a weight of up to 160 kg (350 pounds). The weight of female pandas varies between 70-100 kg (170-220 pounds).

One sees the world one way, the other sees it upside down.

Baby panda enjoys a ride just like human kids.

A 20 year old panda enjoying an apple snack. Pandas, on average, live to about 20 years in the wild and about 30 in captivity, making this quite the mature panda.

The panda used to live in the lowlands. However, due to farming and deforestation, among other developments, they have lost these habitats of old.

Looks uncomfortable, but the panda is intent on getting its nap.

Eating and playing at Sichuan Sanctuary.

Cubs taking a group nap. Cubs are hard to get from pandas in captivity.  Initially the primary method of breeding giant pandas in captivity was by artificial insemination, as they seemed to lose their interest in mating once they were captured. This led some scientists to try extreme methods such as showing them videos of giant pandas mating and giving the males Viagra. Only recently have researchers started having success with captive breeding programs.

Strike a pose, mr. panda!

Scientists believe the panda first arrived in its present black and white form about 2-3 million years ago.

It was in 1869 that a French missionary,  Armand David, who had come to China to spread christianity, first revealed to the outer world the creature known as the panda bear.

A mother and cub are a common pairing at the Sichuan Sanctuaries.

The scientific name of the panda is Ailuropoda melanoleuca, which means 'black and white cat-footed animal'. Not a very apt description. These three cat-footed animals are munching on some bamboo.

Pandas snuggling and playing at Wolong. The pregnancy of a panda is about 95-160 days following mating. In the wild, only one of the 2 panda cubs will usually survive, and they stay with their mothers for up to 3 years time, which means female wild pandas usually raise only 5-8 children in her life.

A panda will always sit or lie down to eat. Most wild pandas spend all day feeding, sleeping or looking for food. However, unlike other bears from the same kind of climates, they do not hibernate in winter.

A shy baby panda.

Hanging out at Wolong nature reserve.

Conservation of the panda species began in the 1940s in China, while Wolong reserve was created in 1963.

Pandas are the most expensive animal by far for zoos, up to 5 times more than an elephant, the next most expensive animal. American zoos pay the Chinese government $1 million every year to 'lease' the pandas, otherwise they will go back to China.

Although pandas may congregate in groups at times, as much as 28 individuals, they are mostly solitary creatures, which may explain their calm - lots of time for zen.

From all our panda friends - Have a great day!