Giant pandas celebrate first year in Chongqing with snowy spectacle

A delightful winter-themed celebration commemorating the first anniversary of the arrival of four giant pandas took place on Thursday at Chongqing Locajoy Theme Park in Chongqing's Yongchuan district. [Photo by Deng Rui/For chinadaily.com.cn]

To create a snowy playground resembling the pandas' natural habitat, zookeepers prepared approximately 4 metric tons of ice and snow sourced from nearby mountains. They unveiled three exquisite displays adorned with bamboo, bamboo shoots, apples, carrots, ice and snow.

These adorable pandas — Qing Hua, Qing Lu, Qiao Yue and Ai Lian — were born at the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Sichuan province, and relocated to the park at the end of 2023.

"I deeply appreciate the exceptional care provided to the pandas here in Chongqing," said Zhang Guiquan, a specialist from the center's animal management department. He noted that the collaborative efforts between Sichuan and Chongqing in giant panda breeding, conservation and educational initiatives have fostered fruitful results.

The event also included educational discussions, a panda photography exhibition, an artistic display, and a panda sculpture coloring activity to offer visitors, particularly young attendees, richer insight into the behavior and conservation efforts of these beloved creatures.