By Stephen Asante
GNA Special Correspondent, Beijing, China
Beijing(China), April 06, GNA – In the southwest of the People’s Republic of China lies a city called Dujiangyan, located some 48 kilometers from Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan Province.
This city is iconic as it has a civilisation goes back some 4, 500 years.
In fact, it is one of the few cities with three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Qingcheng Mountain, Dujiangyan Irrigation System, and Sichuan Giant Panda Habitat.
A significant attribute about the Sichuan Giant Panda Habitat is that it is home to the red panda, a rare tree climbing mammal native to China, as well as the eastern Himalayas.
Research has identified this mammal, the sole member of the endangered Ailuridae family, as belonging to the second-class protected animals in China, and classified as Vulnerable C1 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Scientifically known as Ailurus fulgens, red pandas are renowned for their unique behaviours that set them apart in the animal kingdom.
“Overall, the social behaviour of red pandas is both fascinating and heartwarming, making them a popular species for study and conservation efforts,” says Dr. Tarik Regad, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
“Red pandas are interesting and unique creatures that are worth learning more about,” he notes.
Given the red pandas’ relevance to scientific study and tourism, the Chinese Government is working assiduously to protect them from harm as the authorities put in measures to improve the country’s biodiversity and ecology, especially at a time when many animal species are becoming extinct due to decreasing habitat availability, exploitation through hunting and trade, deforestation and agricultural expansion.
Currently, it is estimated that red pandas have less than 10, 000 population in the wild, and have experienced a decrease in numbers by some 50 per cent over the last three generations, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
On a visit to the red panda sanctuary in Dujiangyan, one would be amazed at the explicit care given to this mammal, the type never seen anywhere in the world.
“Caring for red pandas is a meticulous and thoughtful process, blending the knowledge of dietary needs, behaviourial science, and veterinary medicine,” Bella Gao, a panda tour guide at the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), tells the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview.
As the first giant panda disease prevention and control institution in the world, the Centre serves as a base for scientific cooperation, and also a good destination for natural tourism and panda visiting.
Dujiangyan is responsible for all the wild giant panda rescue work in China. In fact, many old, weak, disabled giant pandas are taken good care of at the base.
Liu Di, a researcher at the Centre, notes that the red panda was initially classified by western scientists in 1825 as panda, however, after the giant panda was discovered in 1869, researchers settled on the climbing mammal’s present name.
Interestingly, both the giant panda and red panda share some similarities as they all have a special body structure in respect of their forepaws called pseudo thumb, that help them to grasp bamboo dexterously.
On the relevance of building a conservation site for the red panda, Ms Liu tells the GNA that the investment made by the Chinese Government, particularly under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, is worth it because “the lifespan of a red panda is longer in captivity than in the wild”.
“The average lifespan is eight to ten years in the wild, and fifteen to twenty years in captivity,” she notes.
On the characteristics and behaviour of the red panda, she says it is well adapted morphologically and physiologically to a consistently cool and moist environment, therefore, the conservation centre presents an ideal place for the iconic mammal to thrive.
Red pandas are most active at dawn and dusk, but they can also be seen during the day.
During the day, they spend more time grooming themselves than they will be eating or resting. They typically eat around two to three times a day and spend most of their time sleeping.
It spends most of its time eating plants, however, it will eat small amounts of insects on some occasions.
According to the researcher, these furry creatures use a variety of vocalisations and scent markings to communicate with each other, and can make soft, high-pitched noises or even snarls.
They also produce scent markings to convey information such as dominance status or reproductive readiness.
Different from other mammals, male and female red pandas tend to be of the same size, and difficult to distinguish. Red pandas are considered sexually matured at 18 months, and the adult’s head and body length is estimated to be 45-60 centimeters, while the length of the tail ranges between 30-35 centimeters.
Ms Liu tells the GNA that the mating season of red pandas is between January and March, saying female red pandas get pregnant for three to five months, and give birth in late spring and early summer. Each litter has one to four cubs, usually two cubs.
Studies have established that newborn cubs do not show white facial markings or tail rings, and that, the cubs start to eat bamboo and fruits when they are four months old and weaned when they are five months old.
The tail rings gradually appear one month later, and the facial markings will start to show two months later.
Disturbance during the cub rearing may cause the mother to abandon or hurt her cubs with over-protective behaviours accidentally.
Bamboo, which is low in nutrition and high in fiber, accounts for more than 95 per cent of the food of red pandas.
Some visitors to the red panda sanctuary, in separate interviews with the GNA, said they admired the iconic climbing mammal for its charming, kitten-like face, cinnamon red fur, fluffy ringed tail and astonishing agility.
“I am very happy to have visited this site today, and seeing the red pandas put up a skillful and acrobatic display is something that would forever remain in my memory.”Haotian Zheng, a Chinese journalist, tells the GNA..
Guo Xujiang, 13, who was also touring the sanctuary for the first time, could not hide his admiration for the beautiful animal.
“I think it is a rare opportunity for me to see the red panda in broad day light eating, because I was told it is a solitary animal which avoids human beings,” he notes.
The authorities say, currently, the sanctuary sees an average of 700 visitors come to see the red panda per day, especially during the summer period, a figure expected to soar in the coming years as many tourists yearn to see the red panda in all its majesty.
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