Pandas: No Joke

For most of my 16 years I held a rather low opinion of the giant panda as a species. After learning a few things about pandas, I judged them to be a failure in God’s creation that Were poorly adapted to nature. I often preached this rather shallow theory to others, feeling as though it […]

An Amazing Journey with Giant Panda

With heightened curiosity, I flew all the way from Hong Kong to Chengdu to join the International Internship Program at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Whenever I reminisce about this intensive giant panda journey, I am filled with gratitude for such an amazing, unforgettable, surreal, and exciting experience. The giant pandas I […]

2012’s Giant Panda Mothers and Cubs

Every year from July to September, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is busy welcoming their newest members. This year, eight cubs have joined the Chengdu giant panda family. They are all healthy and thriving in the care of their mothers. Li Li Age: 20 years old Birth Date: September 3, 1992 She […]

Genetic Inbreeding in the Realm of Giant Pandas

Consanguineous Marriage: A Curse upon Zhu-and-Chen Village in Chinese History Bai Juyi (772-846), a renowned Chinese Poet in Tang Dynasty (618-907), wrote a long poem tided Zhu-and-Chen Village. It sings high praises of a village that was completely isolated 6:ore the outside world. According to this poem, this village was situated in Fengxian county Xuzhou […]