Since 1994, we've welcomed over 70 Chinese staff members from the Chengdu Zoo and the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base. Initially, Chinese staff stayed with us year-round, guiding us in panda care and management. As breeding research became more serious from 2000 onwards, specialists in artificial insemination and newborn care also came to Japan, allowing our park staff to gain diverse experience. Since 2008, Chinese experts visit only during mating and birth seasons. By closely sharing information on health and breeding behavior daily, we've built a strong relationship of mutual trust. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international travel became difficult, and Chinese experts couldn't visit during mating and birth seasons. However, thanks to years of accumulated breeding and rearing techniques, our park staff successfully managed mating and births on their own! Our exchange with the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base isn't just about breeding techniques; we also actively engage in food and cultural exchanges, building a strong, trusting relationship.

Our park staff have also had the chance to visit the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base for training! In 1996, our staff went for a week, and in 2009, another team went for a month. They learned essential giant panda care techniques, like blood collection training, ultrasound diagnostics, and vaccination methods for infectious diseases, all crucial for treatment and health checks, and brought that knowledge back to our park. Plus, getting to visit the construction site of Dujiangyan Panda Valley (which was still being built back then) and building connections with the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base staff really helped our joint giant panda conservation project later on. In 2019, we planned and carried out a six-month long-term training program. The main goal was to deepen our exchange with experts at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base and build friendly relationships for future breeding research. Unfortunately, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, we had to cut the training short after three months and return home. Still, during the training, we learned a lot of different techniques and knowledge, including health management for older pandas and total care for panda cubs.

Chinese Staff

Training History