The next day we visited the Chengdu Panda Research center.
We weren't the only ones.
The first enclosure we came to had five or six panda cubs of about six months. One was sitting by a tree, and appeared to be quite happily sucking his thumb! I found out that panda's have evolved one of their paw pads to be used like a thumb for holding onto bamboo, their main food source.
See how he grasps the bamboo? Opposing thumb pads!
At one point the keeper came into the enclosure. The panda cubs immediately made a beeline for her--she then ran around, playing a kind of hide and seek with the cubs. It was the cutest thing to watch those little cubs waddle through the grass after her.
The highlight was getting to hold one of the cubs. The donation to do so wasn't cheap, but worth every penny. They are very fuzzy and cuddly. The keepers give them bamboo sticks dipped in honey--I guess they've discovered that like Winnie-the-Pooh, panda bears like honey.
As we were walking through the preserve, we were accosted by hordes of school kids who wanted our autographs--who knew we were famous??!!
What a great day!
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