首页 新闻 体育 娱乐 游戏 邮箱 搜索 短信 聊天 天气 答疑 导航


新浪首页 > 新浪教育 > 中国周刊 > An animal named Panda一种叫“熊猫”的动物

An animal named Panda一种叫“熊猫”的动物
http://www.sina.com.cn 2003/12/10 14:12  中国周刊

  ◆By Tricia Carswell

  My first sight of a panda was in an incubator: not me, him. No larger than a human baby, but cuddly just the same, yawning and endearing in its cuteness, it couldn help but leave me with an amusing first impression. I was in Sichuan Province at the little known Panda Research Base, seemingly off the beaten track, for the footpaths were quiet and there were no queues for the picture ops, much to my delight. Tourism here has been bypassed in favour of larger southern drawing cards. Even the Wolong Panda Reserve, further to the north-west is more well-known. So, Chengdu loss is my gain.

  In fact, there are two species of panda. The petit species resembles a racoon, red in colour and swishing a bushy tail. Hardly heavy and huge like a rhino, the more familiar adult giant panda may reach a height of six feet and weight of 250 pounds. Much like a bear, it lumbers about on all four legs and can manoeuvre on hind legs, but does not hibernate, and is easily recognised by its black and white fur markings, typically with black ear tips and circular eye bands. A scientific estimate puts the world population at around 1000, most in central China and about 120 in controlled captivity in zoos, reserves or research. At the time of Richard Nixon ing-pong?diplomacy, he was introduced to China preliminary attempts at encouraging the mating of pandas in captivity. Later, after a dinner with Canada Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Trudeau wife remarked that the only conversation she ever had with Nixon was about the sex life of a panda. This candid comment raised a lot of eyebrows, but brought the topic to well-deserved attention.

  In China, attention to the decline of the panda population has been ongoing since the early 80, when logging for fuel reduced the copious amount of forestry reserves, decreasing the taller canopy of trees that arrow bamboo, the main habitat and diet of this voracious, but vegetarian animal, to flourish. The success of the attempt can be measured by Chengdu honour at receiving a Global 500 Award from the United Nations Environmental Planning Department.

  As with any monitored animal reserve, the goal is simple really: to increase the population of the species and reintroduce themsintosthe wild. Being endangered, the conservation of the panda requires protection and preservation of wild habitat, and establishment and maintenance of a self-sustaining survivor. In Chengdu, rather than cages, the pandas inhabit natural landscapes, with over 14 genus of bamboo, 300 wild plants, allowing a photographer to catch candid shots of amusing antics in a normal environment.

  Beyond the nursery, I ransintosa long lens. Behind the camera was a photo-journalist on assignment for the BBC. Every three months for the past three years, he leaves his permanent home in Thailand to come for three days to imprint the pandas?progress. His attention was not just pandas, but a particular family of the giants. Following the natural birth of an infant, Mei Mei, mother of an astounding seven survivors from 11 births in 9 litters was content to raise her offspring. At the same time, a male cub was unfortunately rejected by another female. Adopted by Mei Mei, she soon transferred her maternal instincts, allowing him to became her favourite. The family showed no signs of dysfunction, happily cavorting together in the compound, displaying obvious signs of affection. No fewer than 56 surviving pandas at one time on site have proven that the scientists and veterinarians are doing something right.

  As a follow-up to the announcement of the Beijing Dancing seal for the 2008 Olympic games, for me, there no doubt about it, as a symbol of harmony between science and the wild, with the Olympics representing harmony among athletes, the panda must become the mascot of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. If only I could draw.




英语学习论坛】【评论】【 】【打印】【关闭
Annotation
· Affairs
外交部
·Ministry of Foreign
外交部

新闻查询帮助



文化教育意见反馈留言板电话:010-62630930-5178 欢迎批评指正

新浪简介 | About Sina | 广告服务 | 招聘信息 | 网站律师 | SINA English | 会员注册 | 产品答疑

Copyright © 1996 - 2003 SINA Inc. All Rights Reserved

版权所有 新浪网
北京市通信公司提供网络带宽