Zoo and Pandas

Pandas, also known as "daxiongmao" (in Chinese, a language we all commonly speak here), which means big-cat-bear in English, are China's national treasure. And over there, they do everything, firstly, to protect them, and secondly, to ensure they procreate (it's not easy, the female is only fertile 5 days a year) (too much information, I know).

Copyright Quentin Douchet (source Flickr)

Anyway, let's get to the topic that interests us: the rental of pandas to zoos. BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.

A pair of pandas costs €880,000 per year. I sincerely hope that the zoos renting pandas are not running at a loss.

Pandas are welcomed like rock stars. A plane just for them. A crowd of journalists upon their arrival (perhaps they are waiting for their first words, how the flight went) (just kidding). A gendarmerie convoy. In short, it's immediately clear that this is a very precious asset lent to France. In fact, in France, the only zoo where the panda couple resides is in Beauval (Loir-et-Cher).

Copyright Aurélie Charon (Source Flickr)

Few countries are privileged, only 14. Yet at €880,000 a year... for 10 years...

The question we ask ourselves is what is all this money for? Very simply, it finances laboratories.

As I mentioned previously between the lines, the main problem for pandas is reproduction. 1864 wild pandas for 400 in captivity, which is very few. Research is therefore focused on DNA...

Copyright Quentin Douchet (Source Flickr)

The goal, however, is to release the pandas back into the wild. A shame for the zoos.