NORTHWEST China’s Shaanxi Province will build a giant panda scientific park in its capital Xi’an, according to the Qinling panda breeding and research center. The park, covering 1,095 mu (73 hectares), will be constructed in the Luanzhen Township of the city’s Chang’an District. The park will have a capacity to raise 50 pandas with dedicated areas for adult and sub-adult pandas, a kindergarten and nursing home, and science popularization. It will focus on scientific research, breeding and raising of giant pandas, protection and education, international exchanges, tourism, and promotion of panda culture. The scientific park aims to improve the breeding conditions for captive pandas, expand their existing population and improve their quality, as well as enhance the popularity of giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains. The number of giant pandas in captivity worldwide reached 633 in 2020. Fewer than 2,000 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the provinces of Sichuan and Shaanxi. (Xinhua) | 