Panda stories...

13 panda cubs from China's quake-hit breeding base have first
group show on Jan. 28, 2009 (cnphoto)

Panda cubs from China´s quake-hit breeding base have first group show


Source: Xinhua 01-29-2009 11:38
Special Report: Post-quake reconstruction


CHENGDU, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- The 13 panda cubs from the Wolong panda breeding base of southwest China's Sichuan province born after the devastating earthquake had their first group show in front of visitors, said local sources on Wednesday.

"Currently the 13 cubs are all in good shape and growing healthily," said Li Desheng, vice director of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Sichuan's Wolong nature reserve, extending his greetings to Chinese people on behalf of the center at the Spring Festival.

The Wolong base, only 30 km from the quake's epicenter of Wenchuan County, suffered severe damage in the "May 12" earthquake with the death of five staff and one panda. Fourteen of the 32 pens were destroyed. Pandas were later evacuated to other breeding bases.

The first post-quake panda twin cubs were born on July 6. To date, 15 cubs had been born since the disaster, among whom 13 survived.

The Wolong base now has more than 140 giant pandas, accounting for 60 percent of the bred pandas worldwide.


Editor:Beauty
(http://www.cctv.com/english/20090129)

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Panda pair makes debut in Taiwan


Source: CCTV.com 01-27-2009 09:40

The two pandas sent from the Chinese mainland as gifts for Taiwan made their first public appearance at Taipei Zoo on Monday the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Children in Taiwan, said, "They are fighting and playing with each other!"

"It just showed me its butt, so I could only see its back, not its face."

"It's very real. It's so different from what I've seen in books."

What kind of creatures make children go crazy like this? Dinosaurs? No! Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, are the pandas given as gifts from the mainland to Taipei Zoo.

More than a thousand visitors lined up at the zoo gates waiting for opening time this morning.

A man in a panda costume posed for photos with the visitors and entertained children.

As so many people wanted to see the pandas, zoo officials prepared number cards so the crowd would wait in order.

The two giant pandas captivated onlookers as they chewed bamboo, ate apples or rolled over logs laid out inside their glass house.

Ms Chang, From Central Taiwan, said, "Yes I am very happy, but it seems a bit rushed. We didn't have enough time as we were told to keep moving, and we had to keep walking. Anyway, I ran up to the second floor to see the pandas some more."

On Saturday, the pandas were greeted by a select group of VIPs including Taiwan leader, Ma Ying-jeou, and Kuomintang Honorary Chairman, Lien Chan.

The two pandas completed a month-long quarantine period after they arrived from Sichuan Province last month. Both are in good health.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are displayed their new enclosure
at the Taipei City Zoo in Muzha on Saturday January 24,
2009.(AP Photo/Guo Ru-hsiao/Pool)