There are many panda reserves in China.
However, the bigger panda reserves also tend to be breeding and research centres, for example, Chengdu Research Base of Pand Breeding.
Credits: Rudd Zwart
Chengdu Panda Base is the biggest and most prominent panda reserve in the world, with an area of 92 acres. It has a Giant Panda Museum and is open to tourists.
Panda Reserves have two main programs:
- Captive Breeding Program
- Reintroduction Program
Captive Breeding Program
Pandas have notoriously low birth rates. Hence, scientists carry out artificial insemination to help the process along. While this is not absolutely foolproof, it has resulted in a drastic increase in number of panda cubs born. For example, Chengdu Panda Base have over 150 successful panda births since their program started.
This is the greatest aid in current panda conservation. However, there are many concerns,
(Refer to Panda Factories)
Reintroduction Program
Started only in 2003 as an nation-wide initiative, the Reintroduction program has undergone at least 6 phases since its inception, The goal of this program is to release captive-bred pandas into the wild.
These pandas receive limited human interaction from birth. Caretakers even wear panda suits and hide their scents so that pandas will not become too accustomed to humans. This is intensified nearer to the panda’s release date.
Caretakers also teach the pandas survival skills through roleplaying and other similar measures. A common case is their use of life-like predator figures to educate pandas. This would help them to learn about their predators and survive in the wild.
However, since its inception, only 8 pandas have been released into the wild. 3 of these pandas subsequently died. This slow rate of reintroduction, along with the high mortality rates, cause many to argue for better reintroduction programs. They also question if captive-bred pandas are too tame to survive in the wild and if so, what can be done.
The panda bases suggest that this high mortality rate occurs as they release males into the wild. This would cause conflict with wild panda males who see them as intruders into their territories and would thus attack them. They believe that if females were released, mortality rates would fall. However, they have not yet implemented this idea and effects remain to be seen.
