Shanghai to house base for 30 giant pandas
Exciting times lie ahead for panda lovers in Shanghai.
Construction on a giant panda protection and research center will start next year in the Pudong New Area.
The Shanghai base is part of a nationwide panda research center program and is scheduled to be finished in late 2019.
The first phase of the base — inside the Shanghai Wildlife Park — will incorporate science education, breeding, and display.
"The first phase will accommodate about 30 giant pandas, and they will be arranged into different cages depending on their different growth periods," said Pan Weihua, chief economist of the park.
The design and bidding of the base is scheduled to conclude this year, said Pan. Preparation, including land expansion and traffic supporting facilities, has started.
"The base is designed to simulate the living environment of giant pandas in nature," said Pan.
The park has five pandas at present, including the first pigeon pair — a male and a female — of pandas born in Shanghai.
The duo Yue Yue, the male, and Ban Ban, now weigh 28 kilograms and 26 kilograms respectively. They grow healthily, the park said. They will celebrate their first birthdays on October 4.
The park was designated a giant panda reserve by the State Forestry Administration of China in March last year. There are two other reserves, in Beijing and Guangzhou. All aim to expand the panda population.
Yue Yue and Ban Ban, the first pigeon pair born in Shanghai weigh 28 kilograms and 26 kilograms respectively.
