Visitors Permanently Barred from China's Renowned Panda Center due to Misconduct
A dozen individuals aged between 26 and 61 have been permanently barred from visiting the center, as per a post on the Research Base's official WeChat account.
These rowdy tourists were caught engaging in various unsavory acts, such as tossing bamboo shoots, lollipop sticks, cigarettes, eggs, or bread, and even spitting in the outdoor play area of the pandas on separate occasions, as the WeChat post revealed.
Fortunately, the pandas remain healthy and unharmed.
The Research Base has refrained from publicly disclosing the identities of the blacklisted visitors or their nationalities. The WeChat post explained that the incidents occurred separately, between April and June of this year.
The base, a top tourist attraction in Chengdu, has visitor guidelines detailed on its website.
"Remember to be considerate of your own and the animals' safety," one of these guidelines reads. "Maintain a low noise level and keep a distance from the animals; actions like littering, spitting, feeding animals, and any behavior endangering animal safety are forbidden."
The advisory further clarifies that rule-breakers may face "different levels of penalties," such as reprimands and education, a one-year ban from entering the park, a five-year ban, or even a lifetime ban.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding was established in 1987 in Sichuan province, southwestern China. Its website states that the center aims to be a leading research facility, conservation education center, and international tourist destination.
Designed to replicate the natural habitat of giant pandas, who are native to China, the base employs extreme measures to create this atmosphere. This may involve researchers donning panda costumes that have been sprayed with panda urine to blend in.
In 2018, the World Wildlife Fund upgraded giant pandas from "endangered" to "vulnerable." There are approximately 1,800 pandas living in the wild today.
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Visitors who fail to follow the strict rules at the Chengdu Research Base, such as littering or spitting, risk facing a travel ban, as demonstrated by the dozen individuals who were permanently barred this year. Subsequently, responsible travelers should take note and adhere to the guidelines set by attractions, ensuring a positive experience for both themselves and the animals.
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