Wild Giant Panda (Photo : Getty Images)
The government plans to offer a view of giant pandas in the wild along Chinese tourism routes. Major panda habitats in the province will be included in the routes, according to the chief of Provincial Tourism Development.
Giant pandas, which have been a symbol of China, are usually seen at zoos or at breeding centers. The animals are hardly seen in the wild. The routes will give tourists an opportunity to view pandas in their natural habitat.
According to Fu Yonglin, director of the Tourism Development Commission of Sichuan Province, three “high quality” routes are planned. The routes will link Chengdu with Mianyang, Ya'an and Aba separately.
A circular route can be taken by tourists to visit all three places. It would take at least a week to see all routes, Fu added.
The date for the opening of the routes is not yet determined.
Based on the national survey of pandas released in 2015, there were 1,864 wild and 375 captive giant pandas in China at the end of 2013, with 1,387 wild pandas in Sichuan. Other wild pandas lived in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.
The safety of the panda is of utmost priority. Barriers and other protection methods will be installed to prevent the tourists from disturbing the pandas in the wild.
"We can develop all kinds of products using the image of the panda, but for live ones, the most important thing is to have them live a happy and peaceful life," he added.
Aside from panda viewing, tourists who will take the route can also enjoy the sceneries of Chengdu and Northwest Sichuan.
"The three habitats have different natural and cultural circumstances. In such trips, people can dip into the environment where pandas are from and gain a deeper understanding of the past of the planet, and its future," Fu said.
Hou Rong, director of the research center of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, said that "the panda is the most famous animal from Sichuan. There is nothing else that can represent the province better."
"The plan will certainly promote Sichuan tourism worldwide, seeing as how there are lots of panda fans around the globe," he added.
With Chinese tourism routes, visitors can now look forward to a viewing of giant pandas in the wild.
