The world's largest park for giant
pandas has opened in southwest China's Sichuan
Province with an initial group of 20 animals.
Located at Bifengxia Base of the China Giant Panda Research
Center (CGPRC), Ya'an City, the park will cover an area of 400
hectares, of which 71.4 hectares has been completed. "The per
capita living area for 20 giant pandas is over 3.33 hectares,
enough for them to enjoy an active and comfortable life," said Tang
Chunxiang, an official with the CGPRC.
With an investment of 120 million yuan (US$14.46 million), the
construction of the park began in April 2002. So far, 16 standard
shelters and auxiliary facilities, such as the research center and
the veterinary center, have been completed.
"In an environment of high density, the possibility of disease
spread among the pandas and in-breeding is greatly raised," said
Zhang Guiquan, the deputy director of the CGPRC. "With the
commodious space, the new base will help the giant pandas maintain
their natural instincts and lifestyles and improve their survival
and reproductive capacities. As a result, they will be better for
research," said Zhang.
Giant pandas are one of the most endangered species in the
world. About 1,000 giant pandas still live in the wild, mainly in
the mountains around the Sichuan Basin. The number of captive giant
pandas is about 140. Ya'an has provided?138 giant pandas
for?zoos or research institutions at home and abroad since
1949, accounting for 70 percent of the total from China.
(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2003)