Is There Anything More Adorable Than A Giant Panda?

Giant pandas…….

Wiki image

Is there anything more adorable in the world? Well, besides a baby giant panda!

Giant pandas are native only to China and live in just a few mountain ranges where they have habitat left. They are on the endangered species list and almost all of us will only ever see them in a zoo where breeding programs are working to keep numbers of this species up.

And, let’s face it, those breeding programs give us those cute pics of baby pandas we see all over the Internet. Pandas playing and rolling all over each other are just so cute and people can’t seem to get enough! The mother panda very kindly encourages this activity with her cub – isn’t she kind?

A tailor made trip to the Chengdu Panda Reserve where you know you’ll be seeing the pandas is a great thing to look forward in my book. As part of this planned trip you can get up close and personal and assist with the daily care of the pandas.

Imagine the excitement you’d feel to be that close? Not just gazing at these magnificent creatures behind a fence but actually having the opportunity to feed and bathe them.

Wiki image

There are approximately 300 giant pandas held in captivity around the world with estimates of those left in the wild ranging from around 1000 right up to 3000. It doesn’t sound like many does it?

This is one animal that you won’t accidentally stumble across. It will take a planned effort to find a zoo where they keep giant pandas or to visit China where you can visit one of the reserves. Most of the 300 pandas kept in captivity are actually in China so it really seems to be your best chance of seeing one of these delightful creatures.

And a trip to China has the added benefit of all the other amazing sights to add to your plan. The Great Wall of China has to be on everyone’s ‘must-see’ list as well as the Terracotta Warriors and the Giant Buddha. China has so much history and the sheer size of cities can be an eye-opening experience for most people. A tour could well be the best way to see all that China has to offer.

Travel tip: be sure you understand the visa conditions for China before you plan your trip. There’s a few extra steps needed to make sure you get your visa approved – you don’t want to book a trip and then discover those visa details. Again a licensed tour operator can give you all the inside information you need.

Now I guess it’s up to you whether you want to see giant pandas in person or you’re content to see their cuteness on your Facebook feed and Pinterest board!

Have you ever seen a Giant Panda in the flesh? Are they as adorable as they seem in pictures?