Seeing Pandas for the First Time, Hua Hua 花花 🐼 Chengdu Panda Research Base | China EP 6

Already a little bit late. I ran a little bit too. You see like people are running. Okay I'm super close. Hey there. I'm loading up on breakfast before going to a place that's been at the top of my bucket list for a while. Today I'm headed to the Chengdu Panda Research Base. Morning everyone. Right now I'm walking to the Giant Panda Research Center in Chengdu. On the way you'll see a lot of people selling panda gears. So I got this. The Giant Panda Research Center isn't even open yet but there's so many people. Now in line but as you can see there are so many people. All right I just got inside. I ran a little bit too. You see like people are running. So there are this many people here because there's a very famous panda in China. Her name is Hua Hua and everyone comes to see her. All right let me break down this pandemonium for you. Hua Hua is a three-year-old panda who has become a national sensation because of her short and round appearance. Her cuteness has taken the internet by storm with multiple viral videos like this one where she blocks her brother from stealing her food. People from all over China are flocking to see her significantly boosting the local economy. So from here it's another hour before we can see Hua Hua the panda. Everyone's here so early because from 7 30 until 9 is when the pandas are most active. So the panda is right behind that tree. Okay I'm super close to the giant panda right now and we can almost see the panda. All right I just finished watching Hua Hua. The research base is huge and is home to over 200 giant pandas. The panda enclosures are designed to mimic their natural habitat. The young pandas are especially playful. They typically live with other panda cubs or their mother until they're around two years old. The research base provides truckloads of fresh bamboo to the pandas daily. Pandas spend most of their day eating as they need to consume large quantities of bamboo due to its low nutritional value. Sometimes up to 80 pounds in a single day. Pandas also have a short digestive track which means what goes in must come out. The that's the panda poop. It's yellow. Adult pandas are typically very slow moving. After they eat they prefer to rest or take naps to conserve energy. Pandas give birth once a year in late summer. Although I didn't see any baby pandas this time this is what they look like and they make the cutest noise. Besides giant pandas the research center is also home to many other endangered wildlife including the red panda. Red pandas are not only incredibly cute but also known for their mischievous behavior. Most pandas are found in Sichuan province and in total there are fewer than 2,000 in the wild. Established in 1987 the Chengdu panda research base has played a pivotal role in saving these endangered species from the brink of extinction. Thanks to vital conservation efforts and breeding programs pandas are no longer considered endangered as of 2021. Pandas naturally enjoy cooler temperature so when the sun is out in the afternoon they typically go indoors and guess what they do there? They continue to eat and sleep. All right thanks for coming with me today. With all this napping I'm going to head back to my hotel and take a nap myself.