Leopard Mountain

Bifengxia includes a vast area called "Leopard Mountain", which houses a number of panda houses.

Photo taken on April 28 shows five of the last six pandas to be transferred to Bifengxia from Wolong. They are eating bamboos in the Leopard Mountain. [China.org.cn]

Staff told us that the eight Olympic pandas that returned from Beijing Zoo in late March live here at No. 1 and No. 2 Panda Villa.

We also saw the last six pandas to be transferred to Bifengxia from Wolong. They arrived on April 25 for a short stay before four of them were moved to Beijing Zoo where they will be one of the main attractions during China's National Day celebrations in October.

Near Leopard Mountain are six new enclosures built after the earthquake. The staff call the area "Little Leopard Mountain". Yang Jie, one of the keepers told us that this is the main breeding zone and is not open to the public.

Yang Jie, one of the panda keepers was interviewed by China.org.cn at the "Little Leopard Mountain" at Bifengxia Base in Ya'an City, Sichuan Province April 28, 2009. [China.org.cn]

Six pandas, including four females and two males, are living in the six newly-built houses. "The four females were just bred in late March and early April," Yang said.

"It's a good place for female pandas to breed, because it is very quiet and safe. Pandas like living at high altitudes; and although we are not very high up here, the area is covered with natural vegetation so the pandas can keep out of the hot sun."

Yang told us the newly-built panda villas were built with a number of improvements such as sloping floors to allow water to be drained off quickly.

"We also put logs in the yards to stop the pandas getting dirty from sliding around in the mud," said Yang.

Wolong Panda Club

Near the entrance to Bifengxia is a row of buildings that house the Wolong Panda Club.

The Wolong Panda Club, a conservationist group founded in 1992, helps the public learn more about giant pandas. With their slogan being "Help Us, Help the Pandas" they campaign to raise awareness of the need to protect pandas and their habitat.

Heng Yi, Bifengxia's public relations director, said the Panda club organizes panda volunteers, manages donations, and runs an "adopt a panda" scheme.

For more details about the club, please click here:

http://www.pandaclub.net/index_e.jsp?1