Raise Awareness

 

We can raise awareness about the plight of the pandas by posting about them on social media and by word-of-mouth. This is one of the simplest and fuss-free methods of helping and would not take much time or effort to implement.

 

By simply sharing an article on the threats faced by pandas, you are reaching out to more people who may not have known of the threats they face and may be galvanized into action.

 

By sharing a video of pandas playing, you are telling others that pandas are cute and precious and that they deserve to live. You are inculcating positive feelings towards pandas in them, that may one day flower and bear fruit.

 

By telling people about pandas, you are giving them information and making them think.

 

Volunteer

 

Another way to help the pandas is to volunteer. While Chengdu Research Base is the best place to volunteer at to gain the most interaction and knowledge of pandas, it is not necessary to do so. We can volunteer at the nearest zoo with a panda.

 

In our case, this would be the River Safari. Although we may not get the chance to directly interact with the pandas, we would still be helping out and lowering the costs of hosting these pandas, which would result in more resources for conservation efforts.

 

Donate

 

Donations are always welcomed, with the money going towards the care of pandas and funding more research into conservation issues.

 

One special method of donating money is to adopt a panda.

 

Most zoos and research centers have a ‘adopt a panda’ scheme, in which people pay money to symbolically adopt a panda and receive certificates and pictures of pandas. This is a symbolic adoption and we cannot actually own a panda, in case anyone was wondering. This money then goes towards the care of pandas and other conservation efforts.

 

Each conservation program has its own scheme, ranging from US$50 to more than US$80,000 per year. The amount of privileges increase with the price you pay. For example, under the World Wildlife Foundation, for US$3.74 a month, you only get a soft toy, some factsheets and magazines. However, under Panda International’s Lifetime Adoption Level (US$80,000), you get to name your panda and will receive specific information on the panda you choose to adopt among many other privileges.

 

This instills in us a sense of ownership and deeper connection, encouraging our continual involvement with panda conservation efforts.