Research center delivers fresh bamboo for pandas in winter

The Qinling Panda Breeding Research Center in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has stepped up the supply of high-quality bamboo for giant pandas during winter, ensuring the bears enjoy only the very finest bamboo on offer during the cold months.

The research center is one of three major panda research centers in China and the only one located outside southwest China's Sichuan Province. It is home to 49 captive pandas and delivering a plentiful supply of bamboo remains a top priority.

The daily diet of pandas increases in winter and so the research center is making sure the supply of wild bamboo shoots is sufficient.

Chen Tianlong is in charge of harvesting fresh bamboo for the pandas. He said the wind break bamboo which is widely distributed in the Qinling Mountains area, is the pandas' favorite food during the winter season.

"When we cut the bamboo, we choose one with ample leaves, not a bare one," said Chen.

Every year starting in October, Chen will make at least 15 trips to the mountains to harvest and deliver this cherished wind break bamboo to the hungry pandas back at the research center.

"For each trip, we will collect between 3 to 3.5 tonnes of bamboo, or about 3,500 kilograms, or maybe 2,500 kilograms of bamboo. It varies. The amount of bamboo we collect depends on the needs of pandas in different places," said Chen.

Although the cold weather makes storage easier, the research center will only store up enough bamboo for one day's supply to ensure pandas eat the freshest bamboo available.

Staff at the center say they do have a supply of bamboo growing at the center which is primarily used in case of emergency, with the bamboo sourced in the wild remaining very much the first choice.

"We are growing over 13 hectares of bamboo in the park for emergency use. In the case of bad weather such as heavy snow or rain, when bamboo cannot be delivered, we will use the bamboo grown in the park," said Zhang Danhui, deputy director of the center's giant panda management department.

Besides their beloved bamboo, the pandas at the research center also have a healthy appetite for a whole variety of other foods from carrots to apples to pumpkins, as well as a special type of milk and bread known as "wowotou."