国外媒体:四川熊猫宝贝们的新生活

A Visit to Quake-Survivor Giant Pandas in Chengdu Giant Panda Base

Black and white, pudgy and cute, China's national treasure, the giant panda, is popular around the world. But during last year's May 12 earthquake, two giant pandas died, and the Wolong Nature Reserve, the home for Giant Pandas suffered severe damage. How are the pandas faring a year after the disaster? Yunfeng tells the story of Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Centre where a few pandas from Wolong that survived the quake settled.

Thousands of people visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base each day to see its lush vegetation, bamboo groves 1, and most of all, the giant pandas.
A Korean tourist, with the Chinese name Quan Rongren, says it is the first time for him to see giang pandas.

"I like giant pandas very much. They are very cute, clumsy and naughty."

Micah Smith from the United States came with his classmates from Sichuan University.

"With other students from Sichuan University, we went to places where the earthquake struck, and we handed out stuff to some of the school students. We came here to check out the pandas. (They seem) pretty nice. I wish they were more awake, because many of them are sleeping. The baby pandas seem very active. They are playing with each other."

Four pandas at the Chengdu Panda Base were transferred from the Wolong Nature Reserve after the earthquake. Wolong was only 11 kilometers from the epicenter and suffered severe damage. It was once home to 63 giant pandas. After the quake, the body of one giant panda was found, while another still remains 2 missing. All giant pandas from Wolong have been transferred to reserves in other provinces.

Zhang Hemin(张和民), director of the Wolong Nature Reserve, tries to hold back tears when he recalls the scary experience a year ago.

"The earth was shaking, and the giant pandas were too scared to move. They just huddled 3 together. Their psychological injury was immense."

Zhang is known as the "father of giant pandas" in China. Since 1983, he has dedicated 4 his time and talent to researching the breeding and protection of giant pandas. He says he considers pandas to be family members.

Zhang has spent most of his time with the pandas, studying them and playing with them and has developed a deep affection for them. He says it was painful to see pandas pinned under rolling rocks, to see them trying to flee to safety and to meet their frightened eyes.

Zhang says it usually takes two weeks for giant pandas to get used to a new environment. But to attend to their psychological needs, he and his co-workers have been using 'Ai Xin Wei Yang' or 'Caring Breeding' techniques since the earthquake.

And Zhang has this to say,

"We caress 5 them more and talk to them more, and whenever we want to communicate with them, we bend down to avoid talking to them from a higher position. Now, we are glad to see that these giant pandas have almost recovered their old spirits."

Tan Wen, who has nearly 10 years of experience in raising pandas, was designated the caretaker of the four newcomers from Wolong. He has treated the four quake-survivor pandas with extreme care and comes to the base very frequently to check on them.

"I think what's most important for a panda caretaker is the sense of responsibility. To really get along with them, there is no recipe other than to let them know that you really care about them. When they got the message and started to behave, I felt so rewarded. If they get sick, I will find the vet 6 who is available 24 hours. But I myself still can't help worrying about them."

Zhang Hemin says he hopes the giant pandas at Chengdu can move back into their new home near Wolong soon.

"You know, Wolong is a nature reserve, and those pandas were used to living in nature, not in parks or breeding centers, so it must be a little bit uncomfortable for them. I hope they will move into their new home as soon as possible."The new Giant Panda Nature Reserve will be built in Gengda Village, 10 kilometers from the former Wolong Nature Reserve. Experts spent months selecting Gengda village, which they believe provides the best geographic 7 conditions, resources and safety conditions for the pandas.

The construction of the Gengda reserve will start in July. It is estimated that the project will cost more than 1.4 billion yuan, or some 200 million U.S. dollars. Donations from different countries, non-governmental organizations, international companies and the Hong Kong government are providing most of the funds for the project.

Here is Zhang Hemin again.

"The support from the Hong Kong government encourages us. And we are so thankful to people who have always cared about China's giant pandas. We'll live up to their expectations to rebuild a new cozy 8 home for the giant pandas in the shortest time possible."

Zhang also says the recovery and reconstruction 9 project is a systematic 10 project that includes assessments 11 and mitigations of geological hazards caused by the earthquake as well as the recovery of local vegetation.

Pandas usually mate in March and April. At that time, they climb from the bottom of mountains to the peaks to nourish themselves with fresh bamboo shoots before they deliver their cubs 12 in August or September.

To ensure the giant pandas have an uninterrupted "green zone," Zhang and his fellow workers are relocating more than 870 households situated 13 on the mountain in Gengda Village.

Of all the myths about giant pandas, one of the most beautiful ones goes like this: Four young shepherdesses were killed while trying to rescue a panda from a leopard 14. When the other pandas heard what had happened, they decided 15 to hold a funeral to honor the girls' sacrifice.

At that time, the giant pandas were pure white. To honor the deceased girls, the pandas wore black armbands at their funeral. They were so sad that they began to cry. As their tears rolled down their faces, the dye from the black armbands began to run and mingle 16 with their tears.

As the pandas rubbed their eyes, the black dye made big spots. In their grief, they clutched their ears and began hugging one another closely. The black dye marked the areas where the pandas touched themselves and each other. The pandas vowed 17 never to wash off the black dye as a reminder 18 of the girls and the sacrifice they made.

It's not known how long this myth has been around in Southwest China, but if these giant pandas do have thankful hearts, they will definitely remember those who have cared for them especially after the May 12 earthquake and those who are still working hard to rebuild them a safe and comfortable home.