A giant panda cub has been captured on video comfortably settled inside a hippopotamus-shaped enrichment toy while enjoying fresh bamboo shoots at the Wolong Shenshuping base in southwest China.
The base is part of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Sichuan Province, the world's largest breeding center for the giant pandas.
In the footage, panda cub Fei Hong sits snugly inside the small, green hippo-shaped toy. As she munches on a tender bamboo shoot, her calm and contented demeanor shines through, capturing a peaceful moment of play and nourishment.
The hippo toy is a form of cognitive enrichment. By providing novel items or interactive setups, caretakers stimulate the pandas' curiosity, encouraging them to think and explore to receive rewards. This approach helps prevent boredom and the development of repetitive behaviors.
Fei Hong is a female cub born on Sept. 2, 2024, at the CCRCGP. Her mother is the panda Shen Bin.
The CCRCGP is a world-leading institution dedicated to the breeding and conservation of the giant panda. The center has established the world's largest captive population of giant pandas and pioneered research on captive breeding and training for rewilding.
The center also holds the largest global platform for promoting international cooperation and exchanges on Panda conservation, involving 18 zoos from 16 countries and regions, 39 domestic animal breeding institutions, and over 10 scientific research institutes.
Panda cub enjoys bamboo feast in hippo-shaped tub
