Yabuli Panda House: Giant Pandas Play and Chew Bamboo in the Snow

On December 19th, a reporter visited the Yabuli Panda House in Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, and met the adorable and lively giant pandas, Sijia and Youyou.

In the outdoor activity area of the Yabuli Panda House, the male panda, Youyou, strolled through the snowy ground, swaying its hips and walking leisurely. The circular prints it left behind were especially noticeable against the pure white snow. It first wandered over to a wooden swing, then sat down and eagerly devoured bamboo. As it chewed the bamboo, it rocked its head and savored every bite, amusing the onlookers who were charmed by its cute behavior. The temperature outside was -6°C at the time.

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In the indoor panda activity area, the female panda, Sijia, who has been crowned “One of China’s Most Beautiful Pandas,” attracted a lot of attention. Sijia was calmly leaning against a rock, happily munching on bamboo. Her round, plump body formed a natural “king” shape on her back, adding to her endearing charm.

Many visitors expressed their delight: “This is the first time I’ve seen giant pandas in the snow. They are so cute!”

“Since giant pandas prefer cold weather and dislike heat, snow does not bother them. In fact, they get very excited in the snow,” said a staff member. The two pandas can tolerate temperatures as low as -20°C. At this temperature, they take turns playing outside. The bamboo they eat is airlifted from Sichuan, thousands of kilometers away, and is usually delivered every 3 to 5 days.

Yang Xiaodong, a staff member from the Yabuli Administrative Committee, told Jiupai News that the facility, which opened in July 2016, is the “highest-latitude and coldest-temperature” panda house in China. The panda house currently houses two resident pandas: the female Sijia and the male Youyou. Both are from the same panda family, the Panpan family, and are half-siblings.

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According to public information, the Yabuli Panda House covers an area of 2,700 square meters, with an indoor activity space of 633 square meters, spread across two levels. The outdoor activity area covers 3,800 square meters, featuring gentle slopes and beautiful surrounding natural scenery with rich vegetation. The outdoor activity area and the visitor area are located in the northwest corner of the facility, allowing visitors to enjoy views of the pandas playing while also observing the southwest corner of the ski resort.

In addition to the panda house, the entire park has 12 sections, including the Golden Eagle House, Monkey House, Alpaca House, Pony Garden, Deer Park, Swan Lake, Rabbit House, Peacock House, Wild Boar House, Camel House, Black Bear House, and Animal Isolation Area, housing a total of 93 animals.