If you had the chance to work in China for a year or so, would you want to work at the Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu? Because after all, who doesn't love pandas?

In continuation to our interview with Yang Kuixin, caretaker of those cute and cuddly creatures at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Radio86 also spoke to another important person at the facility.

Liu Li is a veterinarian at the Panda Base. One can only imagine, ensuring the health of China's national symbol, is a job of great importance and comes with immense responsibility. Yet – just like caretaker Yang Kuixin, Liu also does her job with great pride and satisfaction. In fact, she loves it!

Preservation and Prevention

China has more panda research and breeding facilities than any other country in the world. It makes sense. Because not only is this black and white bear indigenous to China's south-central provinces (Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu), but the giant panda is also China's national symbol.

The Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu, Sichuan started out with just six old pandas in 1987. Since the almost 25 years since it's been established, the Panda Base grew out to be a unique non-profit organization involved in research, captive breeding, eduction, preservation and educational tourism.

Veterinarian Liu Li is part of the preservative aspect of the Panda Base and she has been working at the facility for more than 5 years. "Our aim is to find out how to prevent pandas from getting sick and provide a better living environment to keep them healthy. We work hard on this all the time."

Parasitic Problems

The Panda Base has made tremendous progress in understanding panda anatomy and preventing them from getting sick.

"Parasitic diseases are very common with pandas," says Liu. "They also have digestive problems, same as human. For parasitic problems we have deworming medicine, just like for pets. This will help keep them healthy."

"Pandas used to have diseases like hemorrhagic colitis. On infant pandas we did not know how to treat it. But after all these years of study, we have found the source of the disease and we are able to cure it effectively."

A Proud Profession

Apart from caring for the panda's in the medical sense, she also cares about them. Liu is a real animal lover. It lead her to study veterinary medicine. Working at the Panda Base to her is like a dream come true.

"I am lucky that I can work here. Many of my friends are jealous of me. My husband is also a breeder in the center, so we both work here. So many people we know are jealous of us."

Working at the Panda Base, no doubt creates an unusual bond between caretaker and animal. "We started to take part in the new-born panda babies since the first year I came here. So we see them grow up just like our own kids," tells Liu.

P is for a Panda!

That emotional connection unfortunately gets severed when the animal dies. "At least since I came to the center, we have not had this kind of situation yet," says Liu with a touch of pride.

If an animal were to die, an autopsy would be performed to find out the cause of death. Then the animal – or part of the animal is made into a specimen. A sample, which can either be used for further studies and research, or a real sample, which is displayed in the museum area of the Panda Base.

"But no panda has died in the center yet!" At least not since Liu started working there.

The author is an editor with radio86.com, a Finnish media that provides news about China.

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