Volunteering Day One

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We arrived at our assigned panda house also is named Mt. Leopard Mansion in Chinese before 8:30 am. The staff or we called them panda masters fed the panda breakfast in cage first. Then, the pandas were let out the outside area. We worked in groups to clean the cage, wash the walls and floors and even scooped up panda poops. I wouldn’t say pandas smell good because they are on bamboo and fruit diet, but they certainly smell better than cows. After cleaning, we can either hang out at the office or go to the volunteer center to rest and use the internet. For the rest of day, we fed our pandas three times at 11am, 2:30pm and 3:30 pm. The pandas are conditioned to their feeding schedule. They also respond to their names when they are called. They definitely are made in Chinese. They have small brown eyes even though the big black circle around their eyes might give an illusion. They love to eat! We usually start their meals with carrots, then, give them some specially made panda cakes. In the afternoon, they get apples. Pandas are very good with holding food in their hand. They sit down on their fatty bottom, spread their legs apart, grab on their carrots or cake like a child would. The most beautiful moment with my pandas is that they eat so peacefully and contently that I am deeply moved by them.

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