Tourists banned for life for feeding panda without permission
A screen grab from a report by Sichuan TV station shows a panda eating bamboo shoots thrown into the playground by a visitor.
The Chengdu giant panda breeding center in southwestern China’s Sichuan Province has slapped two tourists with a lifelong visiting ban after the duo fed bamboo shoots and peanuts to pandas without permission.
A 39-year-old man surnamed Han and a 51-year-old woman surnamed Liang fed panda cubs bamboo shoots and peanuts when they visited the panda base on Saturday afternoon, according to a notice released by Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
The notice said the base staff stopped them and cleared the food debris from the panda's outdoor playground quickly.
Han and Liang have been prohibited from entering the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for life due to their behavior, which could cause harm to giant pandas, said the research base.
After an inspection and observation by base staff, the giant pandas concerned were found to be in normal physical condition. The research base said they would continue to pay attention to the physical condition of giant pandas to ensure their health and safety.
According to the research base, the diet for giant pandas has strict standards and feeding them without permission may cause harm to the pandas. The breeding base urges tourists not to feed the pandas, throw objects, or splash water at them.
