Where to find Giant Panda in the world ?

In the wildlife.

In the wild, it is rarely for us to see the giant pandas, because they are labelled endangered in 1990. The species used to range across southern and eastern China and northern Myanmar and Vietnam.

However due to the human’s population increase, they are now only found in the remote bamboo forest, mountainous regions of central China, in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, according to the National Zoo. Most of the remaining wild pandas live in the Minshan and Qinling mountains.

In these areas, there are cool, wet bamboo forests that are perfect for the giant panda’s needs. Giant pandas make their dens from hollowed-out logs or stumps of conifer trees found within the forest.

Habit

Panda usually likes to live alone. The existence of other panda make them annoyed so much that they have a heightened of smell to recognize when there is another panda is nearby so it can be avoided, according to National Geographic. If another giant panda does get close, the two will end up swatting and growling at each other. Sometimes they will even bite each other.

The only time that these pandas seek each other out is during mating season. Males will use their smelling ability to find a female when they are ready to mate.

In captivity.

When in captivity, they have to live with other pandas. The zoo keepers try to make their home as much like their natural environment as possible, but pandas would rather live alone. Since habitat loss is the most serious threat to the panda, establishing new reserves and extending existing ones are crucial to its survival.

In the meantime, the Chinese are furiously breeding their iconic bear in captivity. The early years (until the late 1990s) saw a lot of failed attempts, both at breeding and at keeping cubs alive. And genetic diversity – which supports helpful adaptations and can protect a population from extinction – was a low priority. With assistance from abroad, the Chinese turned things around. The Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute, part of the international team, first worked with Chinese scientists on panda biology and husbandry.

Around the world, this lovable creature is being kept in more than 20 zoos in 13 countries:
ASIA

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Sichuan, China)
Wolong National Nature Reserve (Sichuan, China)
Bifengxia Panda Base (Sichuan, China)
Beijing Zoo (Beijing Shi, China)
Shanghai Zoo ( Shanghai Shi, China)
Jinan Zoo (Shandong, China)
Chongqing Zoo (Chongqing Shi, China)
Taipei Zoo (Taipei City, Taiwan)
Ocean Park (Hong Kong)
Chiang Mai Zoo ( Chang Wat Chiang Mai, Thailand)
River Safari (Singapore)
Adventure World (Shirahama, Japan)
Kobe Oji Zoo (Kobe, Japan)
Ueno Zoo (Tokyo, Japan)

AUSTRALIA

Adelaide Zoo (Adelaide City, South Australia)

NORTH AMERICA

National Zoological Park (Washington D.C, United States)
Zoo Atlanta (Atlanta, Georgia, United States)
San Diego Zoo (San Diego, California, United States)
Memphis Zoo (Tennessee, United States)
Toronto Zoo (Toronto, Canada)
Chapultepec Zoo (Chapultepec Park, Mexico)

EUROPE

Edinburgh Zoo or Scottish National Zoological Park (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Tiergarten Schönbrunn or Vienna Zoo (Vienna, Austria)
ZooParc de Beauval (Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France)
Madrid Zoo Aquarium (Madrid, Spain)
Pairi Daiza (Hainaut, Belgium)

These zoos have contracts with China to house these pandas for a few years. Giant pandas are on the IUCN Red List so part of the reason these contracts exist between China and international zoos, is to try to help the species reproduce before they are brought back to their native land. For this reason, pandas are treated very well.

Let’s have a look at several pictures of this adorable lovely animal around the world: