@amivitale1
Ami VitaleAt the Bifengxia Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center in Sichuan, China, a dedicated team tends newborn panda cubs, bottle-feeding, burping, weighing, and monitoring them around the clock. Each tiny panda represents hope for the species, and their survival is no small feat. Leading the charge was Zhang Hemin, affectionately known as ‘Papa Panda’, (shown in photo 3) whose life’s work helped bring pandas back from the brink of extinction. “The ultimate goal is to release, release, release,” he says. I’ve had two important jobs in my life so far. To get pandas breeding, which is now not a problem. Now we have to make sure there's a good habitat and then put pandas in it.” From fragile newborns in incubators to young cubs relearning their wild instincts, these pandas’ journeys are a testament to the commitment of those working behind the scenes. Learn more about their amazing stories in my @National Geographic story, “Pandas Get to Know Their Wild Side” that also became a best selling book, Panda Love: The Secret Lives of Pandas.
On the profile · Mar 15, 2025