Bear Witness

This Chinese nature reserve introduces pandas to their new home—the wild.

- Alexandra E. Petri

Travellers trek to China to see some of the world’s wonders: the Great Wall, the terra cotta warriors, and the iconic giant panda. Habitat destruction from industrialization and natural disasters has rendered this species endangered, with less than 2,000 left in the wild. Still, there is hope for these furry friends; a feature in National Geographic Magazine’s August 2016 issue documents ongoing efforts by scientists at the Wolong Nature Reserve as they breed and release this legendary animal back into its natural environment. Managed by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, the Wolong Nature Reserve encompasses several outposts where tourists can visit and support these two-toned creatures and the teams devoted to saving them.

DUJIANGYAN PANDA BASE