Yang Jie has been working as a panda keeper for seven years, including four years in the Wolong Nature Reserve and three years at Bifengxia Base in Ya'an City, Sichuan Province. His work has covered a wide range of activities, from preparing food to reintroducing pandas to the wild. Presently, he is taking care of those female pandas who have been bred to produce further babies.

Photo taken on April 28, 2009 shows Yang Jie, a panda keeper, is interviewed by China.org.cn at Bifengxia Base in Ya'an City, Sichuan Province. [China.org.cn]

He shared some interesting stories with the reporter.

The first concerned the reintroduction of a panda called Xiangxiang to the wild. This was also the first release by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong.

"I spent two years in the mountains tracking the panda's daily activities. By collecting data and monitoring his behavior in the wild, I helped carry out some valuable research work. In spite of his unexpected death later, we gained from the experience, based on which further research work was carried out on how to develop the giant panda's ability to survive in the wild."

The second story involved his first attempt to help a female panda to breed. After many unsuccessful attempts over the years, she finally gave birth to twins in 2007.

"This was the first successful breeding at Bifengxia Base in Ya'an, and also my first experience of such breeding work. The delivery of the twins brought enormous pleasure to Ya'an."

At the end of the interview, Yang also introduced some interesting tips about pandas.

When is the best time of breeding to pandas?

Female pandas are usually bred from March to May, and give birth to offspring in July, August or September. The gestation period is usually around 120 days. Inbreeding is avoided since every panda in captivity has its own archive at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

How often do pandas bathe?

Wild pandas never bathe. Their hide has to be kept oily to deter parasites. The same is true for captive pandas. They are not pets but rare wild animals. The ultimate aim of holding them captive is to reintroduce them to the wild, so it's important to maintain their natural habits.

None of the keepers will wash a panda on purpose, although now and then the animals do jump into the pool in summer in order to keep cool.