@amivitale1
Ami VitaleHow hard is it to fool a giant panda? At the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong, China, keepers go to great lengths to maintain the pandas’ natural behaviors, even dressing up in panda suits to prevent them from becoming accustomed to humans. It’s a more challenging task than you might think, especially when the suits are scented with panda urine. This ensures that the pandas, who rely heavily on their sense of smell rather than sight, are not exposed to human scents. Even though these pandas are bred in captivity, they are carefully shielded from human contact to prepare them for a future release into the wild. This careful approach is maintained even during rare hands-on checkups. For over thirty years, tremendous efforts have been made to breed pandas, increase their population, and protect their natural habitats. Thanks to these efforts, the panda has been downgraded from “most endangered” to “vulnerable,” as their numbers in the wild are believed to be increasing. Photos by Ami Vitale #pandas #pandamonium #ipanda #giantpanda #pandacub #endangered #china #conservation @Nikon USA #NikonPro #NikonAmbassador #nikonpro
On the profile · Jun 13, 2024