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Published: August 7th 2007
Ears
Giant Panda Breeding Research BaseOur visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base will no doubt be one of the highlights of my entire trip - I'd be really surprised if going all the way out to Wolong gave a better experience. We saw pandas ranging in age from less than 1 year old to mature adults, all either dozing or chomping on bamboo in a variety of relaxing positions, the favourite one being lying on their back munching away, with discarded bamboo husks all around and fresh supplies a lazy paw's reach away.
It's hardly surprising that they're endangered as, in the wild, they have just one mating season per year, they can only raise 1 cub at a time (twins are fairly common but 1 will be neglected and will therefore die), and the male's penis is very short so insemination rates are low. To compound this, the birth of the young is quick - first-time mothers are often surprised by and afraid of the small bawling pink thing at their feet, and may treat it with anything but maternal care.
The cuteness they share with koala bears is also reflected in their eating habits, with the processing of non-nutritious bamboo
by a carnivore's digestive system instead of a vegetarian's meaning they have little energy for anything other than eating (which maybe explains their infrequent sexual activity). If any species seemed destined to fall foul of natural selection, the giant panda is it. Currently the wild population is about 1,500 with another couple of hundred in zoos around the world.
Also present at the base, but very much the poor relations, are a number of red pandas, looking more like raccoons. I'd read that it's possible to have your photo taken with a panda - it will set you back $150 for one with a young giant panda, $50 for one with an adult, and a mere $15 for an unloved red panda. (This photo option was about the only thing that seemed questionable regarding the way the animals were treated.)
I also headed to Leshan to see the world's largest Buddha, this time unaccompanied by LA Woman who suspected it would be too touristy. The weather was dull and humid, and a haze of mist/pollution meant that conditions were poor for the viewing of large religious sculptures.
The Great Buddha was sculpted 1,200 years ago, which is
Paws
Giant Panda Breeding Research Base amazing given its modern appearance. At 71m tall, it's truly monstrous, though note that only the head, hands, and feet have any appreciable detail to them. The ferries from Leshan harbour that conduct viewing trips of the Great Buddha are the best way of taking in its true enormity, though weather conditions on the day I went meant there was no ideal observing position.
From the north entrance to the complex, I took a series of stone steps and ramps up to the highest point of the trail, on a level with the Great Buddha's 7m-long ears. Far below, I could see a few fellow tourists peering upwards, the ferries holding their positions offshore resembling toy boats in a bath. You can reach the bottom via a steep set of stairs known as the Nine Bends, but I opted for a longer switchback that brought me out at the same place but without any risk of being caught in a tourist jam. The view from below was more impressive than from the top, with the Buddha gazing serenely into the distance from behind a thin veil of mist, and the gargantuan hands and feet only a small leap of
the imagination away from crushing a particularly noisy tour group nearby.
Dull but possibly useful info Getting there: See previous entry.
Stayed at: See previous entry.
Ate at: See previous entry.
Notes: i. To get to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, first take the number 1 bus to its terminus at the northern bus station, costing 1 yuan. Note that you should try to get to the Base for about 10AM so you'll probably be in some heavy traffic for this first leg - allow 45 minutes. Then take the 532 to the Base, costing 1 yuan and taking about 20 minutes. Get off when you see the giant panda statue in the middle of the road. We tried to take a taxi from the northern bus station as we were running a bit late, but none of them seemed to know what we were talking about (maybe the hanzi in the RG are wrong).
ii. The packs of postcards in the souvenir shop at the base are excellent - significantly better than anything else I've seen in China.
iii. There are many buses from Xinnanmen to Leshan, with the earliest at 7:30AM. They cost 43 yuan and
take about 1.5 hours. Similarly, there are many buses in the reverse direction (but only costing 42 yuan for some reason) - note that you may well end up at one of the other Chengdu bus stations and not Xinnanmen.
iv. It seemed to me that there are no ferries running from Leshan harbour to Wuyou Si - they all head towards the Giant Buddha, sit there for 10 minutes, then return to Leshan harbour so you can't actually get off on the Buddha side of the river.
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Tom Sellwood
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Tonight on QVC
The all new McCabe 'Round the World' diet. Just travel round the world for months at a time and see the weight fall off. You look thin Buddy. I'm sure your fine but when you get back it's the Guinness for you. I'm buying.