The Best Places To See Giant Pandas Worldwide
Practically everyone wants to see giant pandas up close and personal. Here are some spots where you can do just that.
There’s a common trend about the giant panda wherever it’s found: everyone wants to see it! And, these adorable looking creatures are so rare and endangered that people don’t mind watching the tiniest details about their daily lives.
They’re easily the main attraction in each of these locations listed below though their spend most of the day eating lots of bamboo. In all the places they live worldwide, no expense has been spared to create an environment very similar to what they would have in the wild.
Below, we’ve rounded up the countries in the world where you can get to watch real live giant pandas. Except for the pandas in Mexico, other ones are on loan from PRC (China). There are 14 countries in total (including China) where you can see giant pandas at close range.
The Best Places To See Giant Pandas Worldwide
1) Australia: Adelaide Zoo
The two giant pandas at Adelaide Zoo are named Wang Wang and Fu Ni. They arrived there in November 2009 at the age of roughly 3 years old each.
The female of the pair Fu Ni, is a star as she won a silver medal in an online competition called ‘Most Popular Panda Outside of China.’
2) Austria: Schoenbrunn Zoo
This zoo is home to a mother panda and her twin cubs named Fu Feng and Fu Ban. These twin cubs are extremely popular both in Austria and internationally.
3) Belgium: Pairi Daiza
The Belgian zoo, Pairi Daiza, is home to two giant pandas named Hao Hao and Xing Hui since April 2014. In addition, they have a very popular one year old cub named Tian Bao.
4) Canada: Toronto Zoo
There are two giant pandas resident at Toronto Zoo. Canada has them on loan from PRC (China) for a ten-year period. They’ll spend five years at Toronto, then leave in spring 2018 to spend the remaining five years at Calgary Zoo.
The pandas are male and female named Er Shun and Da Mao.
5) China (Numerous locations in the wild and in captivity)
China is the native home of the giant panda. They live in the wild here, and there are many locations to see them at close range. But you can check out a just a few of them below.
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Dujiangyan Panda Base
This research center was established in 2014 and allows visitors the opportunity to take care of the pandas as volunteers.
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The Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base
The Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base is located in Chengdu City and it’s equipped with all facilities needed for the breeding and care of giant pandas. It includes a museum and laboratory among other structures.
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Beijing Zoo
Beijing Zoo is the largest zoo in China and its panda enclosure is one of the main attractions for tourists and locals alike.
6) Hong Kong: Ocean Park
Ocean park is an ocean-themed park in Hong Kong City.
It’s home to three giant pandas named: An An, Le Le, and Ying Ying.
Jia Jia was the fourth panda at Ocean Park and she held the record for the oldest panda in captivity till her death in 2016.
7) Japan: Ueno Zoo Tokyo
Home to giant pandas named Shin Shin and Ri Ri. Though they produced a cub a year ago (2016), it did not survive. There are speculations that the female is pregnant again.
8) Mexico: Chapultepec Zoo
The pandas at Chapultepec Zoo are there on a different arrangement from what obtains at other zoos.
They were gifted to Mexico before China changed it’s ‘panda diplomacy’ policy from gifting to loaning pandas. However, cubs born there still belong to China but they are allowed to remain in Mexico.
Actually, in other zoos, all cubs are returned to China at the age of five years old.
9) Netherlands: Ouwehands Dierenpark Zoo
A pair of giant pandas named Xing Ya and Wu Wen arrived on Dutch soil from China in April 2017, and they’ll be there for the next 15 years.
10) Singapore: River Safari
The River Safari is a water-themed zoo and aquarium situated in Singapore. It’s home to giant pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia. Also, you can see the smaller cousin of the giant panda: the red panda here.
11) Spain Madrid Zoo
The female giant panda, Hua Zui Ba, had a cub at the Spanish capital’s zoo in August 2016. This latest cub is named Chulin and she’s the first female panda cub born at this zoo.
12) Thailand: Chiang Mai Zoo Bangkok
Chiang Mai Zoo is home to a pair of pandas named Lin Hui, and Chuang Chuang. They have a famous female cub named Linping and she has her own dedicated 24-hour TV broadcast.
13) The United Kingdom: Edinburgh Zoo Scotland
Edinburgh Zoo hosts two giant pandas named Tian Tian and Yang Guang. They are there on a 10-year loan from China.
14) The United States of America (Four Locations)
This zoo in Washington D.C. hosts three giant pandas named Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and their cub named Bao Bao.
Four giant pandas live here. They are named Lun Lun and Yang Yang. This pair have produced five cubs so far including twins named Mei Lun and Mei Huan.
Memphis Zoo holds two giant pandas since October 2003. They are named Ya Ya and Le Le. However, they haven’t produced any cubs yet.
Three giant pandas make their home in San Diego, California. Bai Yun, Gao Gao, and a cub named Xiao Liwu.
References:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_pandas_around_the_world
2. http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/places-to-see-giant-pandas/
Photo Credits:
1. http://zoomadrid.com/en/animals/giant-pandas
2. http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/places-to-see-giant-pandas/
