For many reasons, including excellent facilities, access to wildlife trails, and advanced management, we and the staff agree that Tangjiahe will provide the perfect base for a series of training courses to be offered to the staff of other less developed reserves like Qianfoshan, Meigu Da Feng Ding, and Yele. Training courses in wildlife management will be directed by the Zoo's senior trainer Rudy Rudran while training in the use of Geographical Information Systems will be led by ecologist William McShea.
On
the morning of May 18, at the end of our time here, Zoo Director Lucy
Spelman and Tangjiahe Nature Reserve Director Mr. Ou sign a memorandum
of understanding that outlines plans for the Zoo's involvement in education
and training at this reserve. All in all a very successful visit to a
highly successful giant panda reserve. We go away hoping that our giant
panda loan donation to the three new reserves will help jump-start their
progress in this direction.
From Tangjiahe we drive about five hours to Chengdu, where we overnight before heading south for Meigu, about a ten-hour drive from Sichuan's bustling capital city.
Copyright 2001 SNZP/FONZ All rights reserved