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While at the Wolong Giant Panda Sanctuary and Reserve, we had the opportunity to enter a large enclosure with six sub-adult pandas (each between 4 and 5 years of age) and play with them for a while. They each weigh about 45 to 50 kilograms. To protect the pandas from disease, the staff dressed us up in sanitary garb, including alcohol on our hands before putting on plastic gloves. Then we entered the enclosure.
This was an UNBELIEVABLE experience. First the pandas drank milk from bowls (and we helped clean up their messy beards). Then we fed them carrots, apples, and a special "cake" of bamboo and grain. (This feeding activity lessens the chance that they would want to chew on us -- their jaws and teeth are pretty impressive!!!!). We rubbed their tummies and pet their heads and shoulders; we felt their paws on our legs; and they gently pushed us down and sat on top of us from time to time.
Our guide took over 100 photos of this event. Above are just a few to give you the idea (we are constrained by the slow process of uploading them to the website). |
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