Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi, where Chengdu meets its giant pandas
Published on 09/16/2026 at 10:31 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi, officially the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, is a conservation landscape on the edge of Chengdu shaped around bamboo forests, ponds and spacious panda enclosures. Established in 1987 as a specialised institution for giant panda breeding and research in Sichuan, it has grown into an ex situ conservation base that also welcomes visitors into the world of these animals.
A hillside base devoted to giant pandas
Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi lies in Chenghua District, in the northern suburbs of Chengdu in south-western China, on a forested hillside that has been developed as a refuge for giant pandas and red pandas.Chenghua District location The base was founded in 1987 to focus on the conservation and breeding of giant pandas, drawing its first animals from rescue operations in Sichuan’s mountains.established in 1987 Over time it has been expanded into a network of enclosures and supporting buildings embedded in bamboo groves.
The institution is a government-funded, non-profit base concentrating on breeding, research and veterinary care for giant pandas and red pandas, as well as public science education.government-funded non-profit Its work forms part of a wider coordinated breeding programme that keeps genetic diversity across the global captive panda population.coordinated breeding programme Research laboratories, veterinary facilities and nurseries stand behind the scenes, while the accessible areas are arranged as viewing paths and educational spaces around the animal zones.
Landscape of bamboo, water and enclosures
The base covers several square kilometres of gently rising ground planted with dense bamboo, mixed woodland and ornamental shrubs, intersected by paths that loop between panda enclosures, ponds and small lakes.area of 3.07 square kilometres The enclosures vary in size and layout but share earthen ground, climbing structures and shelters that echo the natural habitat of Sichuan’s mountain forests. Some house adult giant pandas, others younger animals, and separate areas are set aside for red pandas.
Nursery houses form an important part of Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi, and these facilities are used for newborn and very young pandas that need closer care and temperature-controlled environments.nursery houses and groves In the broader landscape, pavilions and viewing platforms look across lakes and bamboo stands, and paths rise in gentle gradients rather than steep climbs, reflecting the site’s character as both a research base and an accessible park-like setting.
Conservation work and Panda Valley
Beyond the main base in Chenghua District, Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi is linked to the Chengdu Field Research Center for Giant Pandas, widely known as Panda Valley, in the hills at the rear of the Chengdu Plain.Chengdu Field Research Center Panda Valley focuses on training giant pandas for life in wilder environments and on reintroduction projects, and includes ecological enclosures, free-range zones for red pandas, delivery houses for reintroduction and nature education areas in a more rugged landscape.
At the main base, conservation work includes captive breeding, veterinary care, nutrition research and behavioural studies on giant pandas and red pandas, with specialised staff working in laboratories and clinical facilities that are not part of the visitor routes.veterinary and research work Public science education is delivered through exhibitions, signage and dedicated activity zones that introduce the biology, habitat and conservation status of the species in both Chinese and English.
Visiting Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi stands in the northern part of Chengdu’s Chenghua District, with the entrance reached from Panda Avenue and connected to Chengdu Metro Line 3 at Panda Avenue Station by shuttle buses and local roads.
- The terrain consists of gently rising hills with surfaced paths; visiting involves substantial walking between enclosures, including stairs and slopes but not mountaineering terrain.
- Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi sits near other green areas on the city’s outskirts, and the wider metropolitan transport network and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport link the base with domestic and international flights serving Western Europe.
- The official language is Chinese and the currency is the renminbi (yuan).
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Where is Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi located?
Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi is in Chenghua District in the northern suburbs of Chengdu in south-western China, reached along Panda Avenue on the city’s metro and road network.
What should visitors expect on a visit?
A visit involves walking through bamboo-lined paths and viewing giant pandas and red pandas in outdoor enclosures and nursery houses, with educational displays about conservation and biology along the route.
What makes Chengdu Xiongmao Jidi distinctive?
It combines a large forested panda base founded in 1987 with dedicated research, breeding and public education facilities, and is linked to Panda Valley, a field centre for training and reintroduction of giant pandas.
