Taking a Peak at Wolong National Natural Reserve
The whole world knows what pandas look like, YouTube is full of amusing videos of the antics of baby Pandas, probably the most famous is that of the Great Sneeze where a lounging mama panda is startled out of its food when its palm-big baby panda sneezed the great sneeze.
The lure of pandas has been even used in the internationally acclaimed Kung Fu Panda. But what not everyone knows is that there is the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries located in the Wolong National Natural Reserve in the Sichuan Province of China.
The Wolong Panda Reserve is just a three hour drive from Chengdou which was founded in 1963. It is just one of the panda reserves in China, but it is the earliest and the most world renowned. Visitors can come in and experience life at the reserve while getting an education on the intricacies of caring for the near extinct creature. With this education, comes the awareness that although the Panda is the face of the World Wildlife Organization, this is not the only endangered species by far.
People from all over the world visit the reserve or the WWO website in support of the plight of the Panda and could even adopt one to help continue the research and maintenance of the reserves and of the Panda’s feed as well.
There are now wildlife observation spots open at the Wolong Natural National Reserve that has attracted hundreds of thousands of Panda enthusiasts as well as scientists. Sometimes, the Pandas can even come in stroll in these spots giving the observers the chance to take pictures of the wild but adorable beasts.
The Wolong Panda Reserve houses not just the giant Pandas of black and white markings, but the more rare red panda, and other rare animals like the golden monkey, the gnu or wildebeest, the while lipped deer too. They also have the rare and precious yew and beech plants.
Although the May 12 earthquake damaged much of the Wolong Reserve causing the evacuation and relocation of the pandas housed there, it is now undergoing repairs and soon the pandas and other rare animals will come back home to the only place they call a safe haven.