The Mianyang China Giant Panda Garden in China's Sichuan Province officially opened to the public on December 21, welcoming its first group of visitors and offering a closer look at these beloved animals settling into their new home.

Built as a conservation and visitor facility, the park consists of five functional zones and 54 panda enclosures. Twenty giant pandas have been moved into the site so far and have completed their initial adjustment period.

The pandas range in age from 4 to 27 and include several well-known individuals, such as Hua Bao and Jin Bao Bao, who recently returned to China after living in Finland.

Mianyang is a key area for giant panda conservation in the wild. Data from China’s fourth national giant panda survey show that the region is home to 418 wild pandas. It is considered as one of the most important regions for giant panda conservation, with a large and dense wild population, strong genetic diversity and high-quality habitats.

Set within the surrounding mountains and valleys, the base is designed to resemble the pandas’ natural habitat. Open, gently sloped enclosures allow the animals to move freely and keep their distance from one another, similar to conditions in the wild.

The base is expected to welcome newborn panda cubs within the next one to two years, depending on the success of the breeding program.