Bi Feng Xia Panda Conservation and Research Center

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You can’t just come to the panda city without visiting pandas. We are going to do better than that. Our program organizers got us to volunteer at the panda conservation center in Bi Feng Xia so that we can get up and close to pandas. Bi Feng Xia truly represents what it means in Chinese “green peaks and gorges”. There are only three panda conservation and research centers in the world. Naturally, they are all located in panda’s birth place Sichuan providence. Bi Feng Xia area is situated in high mountains and high elevation. The area has lush bamboos, ferns, green mountain peaks, streams and waterfalls. No wonder it makes perfect home for wild panda. 50% of wild panda in China live in this area. The center was built here for this exact reason.
We stayed in Xiao Xi Tian which means small west heaven. It has an international hostel feel to it. It is also popular among foreign visitors because it is right next to the center. We can walk to the center through a small side gate within five minutes which means we almost have 24/7 access to see pandas. It is pretty cool. Many of our neighbors came from the U.S. or Canada to volunteer at the center and have a one of the kind experiences to work with pandas. It was amazing to see so many pandas and small pandas in one place. They are the cutest creature on the planet. Did you know pandas like to chew their feet? Did you know pandas like to climb trees? Did you know pandas make sound like cross between horse and dog when they play fights with each other? Did you know pandas like to lie on their back while they feed? Panda toddlers are especially adorable. They look like beanbag size stuffed animals. You just want to cuddle them, rub their ears and play with them. I love pandas and can’t get enough of the bamboo forest.

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