--- title: Bearing Up Nicely: Wolong Pandas description: Buildings and enclosures at the Wolong National Nature Reserve — the world's largest and best-known panda conservation area — were all but destroyed in the... canonical: https://time.com/archive/6938392/bearing-up-nicely-wolong-pandas/ author: Tina Walsh article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2010-08-19T04:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-22T07:28:03.779Z og:title: Bearing Up Nicely: Wolong Pandas og:description: Buildings and enclosures at the Wolong National Nature Reserve — the world's largest and best-known panda conservation area — were all but destroyed in the... og:url: https://time.com/archive/6938392/bearing-up-nicely-wolong-pandas/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte80c45f7f3f414e9/698a4f65e6e84a66342b2328/360_panda_0830.jpg?branch=production&width=360&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 360 og:image:height: 203 og:image:alt: 360_panda_0830.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Bearing Up Nicely: Wolong Pandas twitter:description: Buildings and enclosures at the Wolong National Nature Reserve — the world's largest and best-known panda conservation area — were all but destroyed in the... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte80c45f7f3f414e9/698a4f65e6e84a66342b2328/360_panda_0830.jpg?branch=production&width=360&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Bearing Up Nicely: Wolong Pandas > Sponsored content. 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Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is included in a TIME print and digital subscription? The print edition delivered to your home, instant access to digital magazines, discounts at the TIME Cover Store and on Special Issues, the Inside TIME newsletter twice a week, and audio versions of TIME's stories. It is from $29 for one year or $49 for two years at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is the difference between TIME's digital and print plans? Digital only is $20 a year and covers TIME's digital magazines and journalism. Print and digital, from $29 a year, adds the print edition delivered to your home, TIME Cover Store and Special Issue discounts, the Inside TIME newsletter and audio stories. #### Is TIME a reliable news source? TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923. Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=078c828c-e77c-487d-baa3-834d646367b0&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=078c828c-e77c-487d-baa3-834d646367b0&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) by [Tina Walsh](https://time.com/author/tina-walsh/) Aug 19, 2010 4:00 AM UTC  Panda to the crowd Tourism helps fund research Panda to the crowd Tourism helps fund research Wu Hong / EPA / Corbis by [Tina Walsh](https://time.com/author/tina-walsh/) Aug 19, 2010 4:00 AM UTC Buildings and enclosures at the Wolong National Nature Reserve — the world’s largest and best-known panda conservation area — were all but destroyed in the devastating earthquake that hit Sichuan province in southwest China in May 2008\. Although only one panda, crushed under a collapsed wall, died at the UNESCO World Heritage site, many others were injured or escaped and 12 staffers lost their lives. So far, so gloomy. But the Chinese authorities have been working hard and spending harder (over $36 million has been allocated to the Wolong reconstruction effort) to make sure the future of their national icon is secure. [(See 25 authentic Asian experiences.)](//www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934455%5F1934447,00.html) After the quake, most of the more than 60 Wolong pandas, including several cubs rescued by a keeper who risked his life to save them, were sent to Wolong’s sister facility, the Bifengxia Panda Base, about a four-hour drive south. Another four, clearly traumatized, were taken to the Chengdu Panda Base, located near the provincial capital of Chengdu and the so-called panda capital of the world. It’s one of China’s most important breeding centers and its state-of-the-art facilities and resident specialists made it the natural destination for the distressed bears, which needed round-the-clock attention. Housed away from the public, they were, thankfully, on the road to recovery after six months and sent to Bifengxia, which has more space. It’s hoped that they will recuperate fully there, eventually returning to Wolong once it’s been rebuilt. British TV wildlife presenter Nigel Marven has just finished filming a series on the Sichuan pandas. Such is his status in the province, he’s been appointed Chengdu’s “panda ambassador,” only the second person to receive the accolade after kung fu star Jackie Chan. “With only 200 or so captive pandas, it was vital to save the ones at Wolong as they are part of a successful breeding program,” he says. [(See pictures of the beloved panda bear Tai Shan.)](//www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934455%5F1934447,00.html) Such programs are rare. For years, scientists employed desperate and futile reproduction methods that included feeding pandas Viagra or subjecting them to videos of pandas mating in a bid to visually stimulate their libidos. Nobody realized that they are intensely solitary animals in the wild, only getting together for the two or three days of the year when females are on heat. They’ve finally got the hang of things in Chengdu, however. A baby panda was born there in July, the first surviving cub of the birthing season. As the people of Sichuan rebuild their lives in the wake of tragedy, so do their beloved mascots. Chengdu Panda Base offers guided tours and interactive educational facilities. For more information, see [www.panda.org.cn](https://www.panda.org.cn). _Got an awful travel gripe? The Avenger may be able to sort it out for you._ [Click here to tell us your problem.](https://www.time.com/time/travel/avenger/form) [See Time.com/Travel for city guides, stories and advice.](https://www.time.com/time/travel) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938392/bearing-up-nicely-wolong-pandas/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938392/bearing-up-nicely-wolong-pandas/"},"headline":"Bearing Up Nicely: Wolong Pandas","datePublished":"2010-08-19T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-22T07:28:03.779Z","description":"Buildings and enclosures at the Wolong National Nature Reserve — the world's largest and best-known panda conservation area — were all but destroyed in the...","url":"https://time.com/archive/6938392/bearing-up-nicely-wolong-pandas/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte80c45f7f3f414e9/698a4f65e6e84a66342b2328/360_panda_0830.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tina Walsh","url":"https://time.com/author/tina-walsh/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte80c45f7f3f414e9/698a4f65e6e84a66342b2328/360_panda_0830.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"360_panda_0830.jpg","caption":"Panda to the crowd Tourism helps fund research","creditText":"Wu Hong / EPA / Corbis","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938392/bearing-up-nicely-wolong-pandas/","name":"Bearing Up Nicely: Wolong Pandas"}}]}] ```