Giant Pandas ( non-human victims of the earthquake ) − 13 May, 2008
Every time news like this hits, my heart just sinks.... Let's pray for the earthquake victims and families and the safety of the very endangered Giant Pandas. It was in the afternoon when the earthquake happened, i can only hope most of the pandas were outdoor and had sense the earthquake beforehand and find a place for safety. I was there 1 1/2 year ago and i would definitely want to go back to see the "bamboo-munching bears" again...
"Authorities in China’s Sichuan province are still scrambling to deal with the human toll of today’s major earthquake, but there’s also an open question about the area’s best-known non-humans.
Centered near Chengdu, the provincial capital with a population of about 12 million, the 7.8 quake has killed at least 8,500 people, authorities said. It also shook the world’s foremost panda habitat, the Wolong National Reserve, about three hours’ drive outside Chengdu.
The reserve, which works with zoos worldwide, typically houses about 150 of the bamboo-eating animals, drawing about 100,000 tourists yearly. A webcam at the reserve shows several of the animals active and apparently well, but the video timestamp suggests the images were gathered Sunday before the quake.
At the San Diego Zoo, which has a researcher in Beijing, spokeswoman Christina Simmons said: ”We have heard through our contacts in China that the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center was not seriously affected.” The zoo’s researcher in Beijing is also well, Simmons said in an e-mail.
The quake took place at 2:28 p.m. Monday, local time. Officials at the Chinese national tourism office in Glendale, California, said Monday morning that they had no information on Wolong. Calls to the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles were not immediately returned."
"Authorities in China’s Sichuan province are still scrambling to deal with the human toll of today’s major earthquake, but there’s also an open question about the area’s best-known non-humans.Centered near Chengdu, the provincial capital with a population of about 12 million, the 7.8 quake has killed at least 8,500 people, authorities said. It also shook the world’s foremost panda habitat, the Wolong National Reserve, about three hours’ drive outside Chengdu.
The reserve, which works with zoos worldwide, typically houses about 150 of the bamboo-eating animals, drawing about 100,000 tourists yearly. A webcam at the reserve shows several of the animals active and apparently well, but the video timestamp suggests the images were gathered Sunday before the quake.
At the San Diego Zoo, which has a researcher in Beijing, spokeswoman Christina Simmons said: ”We have heard through our contacts in China that the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center was not seriously affected.” The zoo’s researcher in Beijing is also well, Simmons said in an e-mail.
The quake took place at 2:28 p.m. Monday, local time. Officials at the Chinese national tourism office in Glendale, California, said Monday morning that they had no information on Wolong. Calls to the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles were not immediately returned."
