“This base recreates the Sichuan highlands in bamboo groves to breed giant pandas and pull them back from extinction.”
About Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
The Chengdu base was founded to conserve the giant panda, an icon of wildlife protection, by breeding the bears in conditions resembling their native bamboo forests. Through dedicated research and breeding programmes it built one of the largest captive panda populations in the world, contributing significantly to the species' recovery and to public awareness of conservation, while also caring for red pandas.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a renowned conservation centre on the edge of Chengdu, in China's Sichuan province, dedicated to protecting and breeding the giant panda. Set among bamboo groves designed to mimic the pandas' natural habitat, it offers one of the best opportunities anywhere to see these beloved and endangered animals up close.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a renowned conservation centre on the edge of Chengdu, in China's Sichuan province, dedicated to protecting and breeding the giant panda.
A Sanctuary for the Giant Panda
Established to save the giant panda from extinction, the base has become one of the world's most successful panda breeding centres, home to a large captive population of the bears, whose natural range is the bamboo forests of the Sichuan highlands. Its grounds recreate that habitat with dense bamboo and enclosures, and a nursery cares for cubs. The base supports research and conservation aimed at increasing panda numbers and eventually returning some to the wild.
The Experience
You wander shaded paths through bamboo to viewing areas where giant pandas munch bamboo, doze in trees and tumble about, with the best chance of seeing them active in the cool early morning. The nursery, when open, may show tiny cubs. Red pandas also roam parts of the base. The combination of adorable animals and a serious conservation mission makes it a highlight of any visit to Chengdu.
Why It Matters
The Chengdu Research Base is a flagship of giant panda conservation and one of the most important centres for protecting this endangered icon. It plays a major role in the survival of the species and offers visitors a meaningful, memorable encounter with one of the world's most beloved animals.
The Chengdu Research Base is a flagship of giant panda conservation and one of the most important centres for protecting this endangered icon.
Why Visit
The best place to see giant pandas up close, a leading conservation and breeding centre set among bamboo groves on the edge of Chengdu, China.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Arrive at opening; pandas are most active in the cool morning.
- 2
Look for red pandas as well as giant pandas.
- 3
Visit the cub nursery if it is open.
- 4
Allow a few hours to walk the bamboo-filled grounds.
