The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and red pandas alike. It was founded in 1987 with 6 giant pandas that were rescued from the wild. By 2008 it had 124 panda births and the captive panda population had grown to 83 animals - it is currently at a staggering 113 giant pandas.

The goal of the facility is to “be a world-class research facility, conservation education center, and international educational tourism destination.” It is also committed to the rescue and rehabilitation (and ultimately re-release) of any sick wild giant pandas and additionally aids other facilities in rescuing and breeding giant pandas.

I decided to take the half day tour that my hostel was offering for 120 CNY ($20 USD) as they drove you there in a van nice and early (the pandas are the most active first thing in the morning), took you around the park, and then drove you home. I wasn’t really in the frame of mind to deal with trying to get there on my own by public bus so this was a painless and relatively cheap alternative. It also worked out nicely because I met some great people from England who I hung out with for the duration of the trip.

As soon as we arrived we went straight to the first panda enclosure where 6 lovely pandas were munching on their breakfast.

Some were more proper than others when it came to table manners.

Though all had the skill of stripping bamboo to get to the yummy center down to a science.

It was seriously impressive the speed at which they went through the shoots.

Though they have to be good - pandas apparently only retain about 20% of the nutrients of the bamboo so they must consume obscene amounts of it per day in order to remain healthy. This is also probably why they’re usually slow and lazy most of the day (have to conserve their adorable panda energy).

We continued on and made our way to Panda Kindergarden to see some young fluff balls.

And then we entered the cutest rooms of them all - the nursery.

I can’t even handle those faces.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is one of the leading institutions in the artificial breeding of pandas. While every effort is made to allow conception to occur naturally, it is not always possible and over the last 20 years the base has honed its artificial insemination techniques with great success.

The Chengdu Panda Base also has the world’s largest artificial captive red panda population with 76 animals currently on site.

These little guys could be seen climbing through the trees or enjoying their breakfast of fruit and vegetables.

It was a morning full of fluffy fur balls of adorableness and a wonderful way to spend a morning in China.

Have you ever witnessed the epic cuteness of a baby panda? Find yourself with a sudden desire to visit Chengdu now?