Earlier this week, we told you about the Diaoyutai Boutique, this magnificent hotel located in Chengdu, China. Not far from there, the Wolong National Nature Reserve—recognized worldwide as the birthplace of giant pandas—is a major natural botanical garden. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006, this reserve is home to the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center which ensures reproduction as well as protection of these friendly mammals.
The giant panda is one of the rarest species on the planet. Shy, elusive, and gentle, they once lived in large numbers throughout the region between Beijing and the Himalayas. After centuries of human expansion and habitat destruction, they are now threatened with extinction (for more information, suggested reading: Endangered Animals, by L. (Ed.)
Going to extraordinary lengths to achieve their goals, China's research centers are, for example, proposing volunteer programs that offer their participants a unique experience close contact with giant pandas, in addition to participating in their backup. For just over 250 U.S. dollars, volunteers can get involved by working alongside keepers and researchers to clean the cages, prepare meals, set up the enclosures, and more. (The cost of the activity helps offset the insufficient funding allocated to giant panda research.)
Would you like to enjoy a unique travel experience in a beautiful, natural setting? Are you looking to give your next vacation a sense of purpose? Volunteering—even while traveling—is definitely for you!
To go further : Volunteer Programs for Giant Pandas ! (Note that there are other organizations that offer this type of program.)
