Super Kungfu Panda lovers, how could you leave Beijing without seeing real pandas!
Every day, curious visitors from around the world crowd the Panda House at the Beijing Zoo for a look at this clumsy, cute, and precious animal that China calls its national treasure. The zoo is just a short walk from a number of hotels in Beijing.
The zoo was opened in 1908, just a few years before the Qing dynasty ended. It was Chinas first zoo ever. It now houses a collection of 500 species with over 6,000 animals. There are rare species such as golden monkeys, Siberian tigers, precious birds, and of course, giant pandas.
The panda is obviously the big star here!
As some say, the only thing in the world that is funnier than a panda is a panda playing with another panda! One bearhugs another from behind, pushes, and they roll like a X-size football. When they are tired, they lie on their back, and stretch out their legs. The chubby movements mean you cant stop laughing. And you will be wondering if these pandas were on their beach vacation, because the amusing eye circles so look like sunglasses!
Pandas in the Beijing Zoo do know Kungfu, and their favorite sport? Climbing tree! When the weather is hot, they will climb up a high tree, and find themselves a shady spot for a nap.
Pandas are vegetarian, and their favorite food is bamboo leaves. Here in the Beijing Zoo, pandas only east a special Jianzhu bamboo from Sichuan province, the only place in China to find the plant. However, as interesting as it might sound, pandas were actually a carnivorous animal one million years ago, and they had a diet similar to that of tigers. The reason for the change is still unknown.
Here in the Beijing Zoo you can donate money for the protection of pandas in China. Pandas are very precious, and only about 1,000 live today. The Chinese regard the species a national treasure because pandas appeared on earth nearly 2 million years ago, and very few animal species from that time survive to this day. Pandas, therefore, are considered a living fossil. No wonder the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) made panda its symbol.
On very rare occasions, the Chinese government gives pandas to a foreign country as a symbol of friendship. So if youve ever seen a panda in San Diego or Berlin, feel lucky.
You are free to take photos of pandas in the zoo, but you have to keep your flash off, because that could scare the pandas away. Pandas are very shy.
Also, you will find great panda gifts to bring back home and thrill your folks. A baby panda toy sells around 60 RMB (less than $10), a panda T-shirt goes about 70 RMB, and a key chain with an adorable panda image will run you only 10 RMB
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Tags: Golden Monkeys, Beijing Zoo, Shady Spot, Eye Circles
