Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries
Photo credit: Visit China / Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries / Facebook
Pandas are some of the most endangered animals on the planet and Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries happen to be home to more than 30% of the world’s giant panda population.
The sanctuaries include seven nature reserves that span 9,245 square kilometers. Though they provide a place for the endangered species to flourish, their most valuable portions are the breeding facilities in the Wolong National Nature Reserve and Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Pandas struggle to breed in the wild, but the breeding program has managed to release seven captive-bred pandas into the wild since 2006. Only two of those pandas have died (which is difficult to stand the thought of). Only about 1,864 pandas are left living in the wild in China, so these sanctuaries are important in preserving the gentle species.
