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Chongqing is known as a "Mountain City". It is a port city situated in the Southeast of the Sichuan Basin between the Yangtze, and Jialing River. It is the largest and most densely populated municipality directly under the Chinese Central Government. It was constructed on mountain slopes. It has a long history with numerous scenic spots and historic sites. Due to the hilly terrain Chongqing is the only major metropolis in china without significant numbers of bicycles. Servicing Western China, Chongqing provides convenient water, land, and air transportation. Hundreds of star-ranked hotels provide excellent facilities and services.
Located at the western suburb of the main urban area, the Chongqing Zoo is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The nature scene is a great treasure. The panda house, the highlight of the zoo, will offer you wonderful experience.
A look at the Zoo
Chongqing Zoo, which was built in 1955 lies on the southern suburb of Chongqing, covering an area of more than 45 hectares. The zoo owns more than 230 species of animals, with a total amount of more than 6000 animals that ranks Chongqing Zoo as one of the biggest national urban Zoos.
It is the reserve and breeding base for the giant panda, lesser panda, the South China tigers and other endangered species. In recent years, Zoo has the new Antelope Room and Elephants Room, Giraffes Room, Panda Room, Orangutans Room, Avian Room, Tea Garden, to further protection of endangered animals.
Currently, the new Nanping breeding base for endangered animals is under construction. Children's theme park, rink, stage, reading rooms, and restaurants will be opened every day.
The panda house
The zoo received more than 1 million visitors every year. Pandas are most popular among of that. If you want to see the panda, Panda Room in Chongqing Zoo is no doubt a good choice for you.
Chongqing Zoo is dedicated to providing giant pandas and their offspring a comfortable environment in order to preserve the survival of the species. The panda house is about 2 hectares in size. In the Panda Ground at the foot of a hill and by a little stream, visitors can see charmingly native giant and lesser pandas and their offspring. The zoo has been the site of one of the few successful breeding programs for the Pandas (one mother has had three). 
Something interesting about Giant Pandas
Pandas look like big cuddly bears, but they are actually shy reclusive bamboo eaters who would like to be left alone.
The Loner - Giant Pandas in the Wild
Pandas are loners. Although they appear to have been carnivorous at some point in their evolution, they adapted to eating only plants - and only bamboo - but retain a solitary nature unlike other herbivores. They keep a small territory and don't wander too far. They also don't have rigid schedules, eating, sleeping and playing whenever and wherever the mood strikes them.
The Loner Hunts for a Mate
In the spring, for a mere three months, older pandas of at least 7 years search each other out for the mating season. After mating, pandas retreat to their homes.
Thirsty Pandas
Pandas love water and make their homes near a water source. Pandas sometimes over-drink and act drunk making it even more beloved by the Chinese people as legends surround why the panda does this.
Playful Pandas
Pandas are playful and not the least bit aggressive. Mountain dwellers have reported them mischievously getting into their homes and playing with kitchen pots and pans and then discarding them in the woods later on. They've also been known to befriend domestic animals such as a sheep or pig and sleep and eat together with them.
Shy Miss Panda
Chinese people nickname the Panda "Miss Panda" since they often exhibit shy, even coy, behavior such as covering its face with a paw or ducking its head when confronted by a stranger.
Not So Shy Mrs. Panda
Notably, mother pandas protect their young as you'd expect so just like any other bear, don't come between a mama panda and her baby.
When to see pandas
Now the panda room is open to public from 8:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. every day.
Something to suggest
The best chance of seeing pandas is during feeding - between 8:30 and 10:30a.m. If the pandas aren't out, poke your head in the office behind the English introduction board and ask the zoo warden if he'll feed them. Sometimes that's all it takes.
Click and see more information about Chongqing Zoo.
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