TRAVEL WITH CHRIS BROWN

Transcription

1 TRAVEL WITH CHRIS BROWN GIANT PANDAS Chris heads to China to visit the county's national treasures the Giant Panda. But it won't be an easy ride. He's volunteering as a Keeper For A Day. This means cleaning the sanctuary, shovelling panda poo and cutting rock hard bamboo but the pay-off is pretty special the chance to get up close and personal with one of the world's cutest and rarest animals. GIANT PANDA FAST FACTS A newborn panda weighs between 4 and 8 ounces ( kg) * A fully grown panda can weigh between kg ( pounds) * The average life span of the giant panda is years in the wild and years in captivity * Scientists estimate the current population of Giant Pandas across Asia to be no more than 1,600 ** Pandas cannot store fat so they do not hibernate. They counteract this by eating for around 14 hours a day * Source: * San Diego Zoo Research Centre ** Pandas International

2 BI FENG XIA GIANT PANDA RESERVE Bi Feng Xia Giant Panda Reserve is located in China s Sichuan Province, the home of the Giant Panda. Situated in the scenic Bi Feng Valley, the reserve covers an area of close to 400 hectares. The reserve was completed in 2003 but really began to flourish in 2008 after the major earthquake in Sichuan province. The Wolong Reserve, which housed many of thes giant pandas, was extensively damaged during the earthquake so the pandas were moved to Bi Feng Xia. To provide adequate support for the large influx of pandas, the reserve built many new enclosures and hired a much larger team of researchers, carers and scientists. There are now almost 150 permanent staff members caring for pandas across 58 separate enclosures each fitted out with cameras to monitor their activities from the central control centre. The Bi Feng Xia Giant Panda reserve is under the umbrella of the national board the China Conservation & Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP). Bi Feng Xia Giant Panda Reserve offers volunteers the chance to become a panda minder for the day. This involves cleaning the enclosures of the pandas, feeding them numerous times throughout the day and assisting the permanent keepers in their various daily duties. Chris meets up with Joseph to find out what s in store for him. Chris day starts with cleaning out the enclosures. Joseph is a hard taskmaster and makes sure Chris is doing his duties properly. The main reason is to clear out the older bamboo that the pandas have discarded in addition to getting rid of the panda s bowel movements to ensure their living conditions are up to scratch. As Giant Pandas are so loved across China, Chris discovers that merely sweeping their cages is an honored job.

3 In addition to their bamboo, Chris also helps Joseph prepare the pandas second favourite cuisine Panda Cake. As the bamboo diet is so nutrient poor, the pandas have to eat up to 20kg a day. To combat the sheer weight of bamboo needed in the reserve, the panda cake has been developed. It consists mostly of bamboo flour but contains vegetable oil, eggs, salt and other essential vitamins and minerals.* Chris even sneaks a taste of the cake while carefully slicing. At last, Chris meets a panda the adorable 8-year-old Chan Chan. Although they meet through iron bars, it s still the most intimate way to get up close and personal with a panda. As they are one of the most endangered animals in the world, with only an estimated 1,600 living in the wild, it s easy to see why Joseph and the staff are so protective.* But Chris day isn t over yet. With a little bit of special access due to being a vet, Chris has found himself in what could be the cutest place on Earth Panda Kindergarten. Now without bars, Chris feeds the little ones their daily panda cake. Who would have thought that to see a panda up close, a vet would have to go back to kindergarten? Sources: * Pandas International ** San Diego Zoo

4 ABOUT SNA TOURS SNA Tours is one of the fastest growing tour operators in the industry, providing a selection of cultural, educational and historical tour packages to China, India, Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia. Each tour is all-inclusive, tailor made and competitively priced, promising high quality and one-of-a-kind experiences in the comfort of some of the most luxurious, four to five star hotels in the world. SNA Tours takes the stress out of travel, organizing flights, luxury accommodation, meals and visits to some of the most spectacular sites in the world. To find out where SNA Tours can take you on your next adventure call or visit GETTING THERE Established on August 29, 2002, Sichuan Airlines, known as 3U Airlines, is based on Sichuan Airlines Group, and jointly associated with China Southern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shandong Airlines and Chengdu Gingko Catering Company. Its predecessor, Sichuan Airlines Company was founded on September 19, 1986 and started operations on July 14, With its core value of safety, Sichuan Airlines strives to innovate its brand culture, blaze its own road of operation and management, and establish a more improved scientific Safety and Quality Management System. It is committed to creating a customized service with Chinese Elements and Sichuan Charm, as well as train a production and operation team and management talents both with sound working style and strong sense of responsibility. From the former seven routes to the current 160-plus routes, a well-operating network integrating main routes, secondary routes, international routes, regional routes and branch routes, contribute to the transportation system formation of the regional comprehensive transportation hub. Sichuan Airlines now offers direct flights to Chongqing from both Sydney and Melbourne. Call or visit

5 WEBLINKS SNA Tours Australia Sichuan Airlines Bi Feng Xia Giant Panda Reserve