With their cute round faces, fluffy ears and mild temperament, it’s no wonder giant pandas are adored the world over. For several years now, a special award ceremony has been an annual highlight for the global panda fan community. Since 2012, thousands of panda enthusiasts of all ages have been called upon each year to vote for organisations or individuals who have shown a particular commitment to panda conservation over the previous twelve months. Winners in the individual categories receive a coveted Giant Panda Global Award.
Of course, Berlin’s panda success story has not gone unnoticed. Zoo Berlin has picked up several of the awards in the past two years, but the arrival of Germany’s first panda cubs has helped it achieve five nominations this year:
• Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan in the category
Panda Cub of the Year
• The Panda Garden in the category
Most Beautiful Panda Zoo Enclosure
• The birth of Berlin’s panda twins in the category
Panda Moment of the Year
• Zoo Berlin’s team of keepers in the category
Panda Keeper Team of the Year
• Zoo Berlin veterinarian Dr Andreas Ochs in the category
Veterinarian of the Year
A full list of categories and nominations can be found under the following link: https://www.GiantPandaGlobalAwards.com.
Panda fans from all over the world can visit the site to cast their votes until 23 December 2019 and decide who will win the coveted awards. “With the birth of Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, 2019 could not have been a better panda year for us,” says Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr Andreas Knieriem. “So we are particularly excited to have been nominated once again for the Panda Awards, and in no less than five categories. The award ceremony is a great platform for drawing attention to the important work being done to protect the giant panda.”
Giant pandas, more than any other animal, have become an international symbol of species conservation, and occupy an almost holy status in their native country. These remarkable bears were once found from right up in the northeastern part of China all the way down into Myanmar and Vietnam. Today, their territory has shrunk to the sparse coniferous and deciduous woods of mountainous regions around China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Current estimates suggest that there are only around 1,860 adult giant pandas living in their natural habitat worldwide. Despite successful conservation efforts, the survival of giant pandas in the wild is not yet guaranteed. In fact, pandas are still classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Update on the panda twins
Our panda cubs are continuing to grow and develop splendidly. Meng Xiang now weighs in at 6,450 grams, while Meng Yuan is 6,406 grams. Shortly after their official naming ceremony last Monday, the twins spent time with mum Meng Meng as she tucked into some tasty bamboo – the cubs’ first experience of their future favourite food.
