New giant panda conservation base opens to visitors in China

A new giant panda breeding and conservation base in Sichuan Province, southwestern China, has begun welcoming visitors on a trial basis less than two months after its opening. Nearly 6,300 people visited the site on its first public day, according to Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

Located in Mianyang, the base currently houses 20 giant pandas of different ages. All of them have successfully completed the adaptation period and are reported to be in good health. The vast territory has been landscaped to resemble the animals' natural habitat, with valleys surrounded by mountains. The facility includes 54 enclosures dedicated to breeding, cub rearing, public display and disease prevention.

Smart technologies based on artificial intelligence are used to regulate temperature and humidity and to monitor safety conditions.

The Chinese province of Sichuan is known as the home of the giant panda.  It is hosting the largest number of bamboo bears – 70 per cent of the total number of wild animals in the country. Currently, there are about 1,900 giant pandas living in the wild in China.

Photo: Nuno Tendais / iStock