By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, reported and compiled by Li Xinyi
Following the huge success of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef “Best Job in the World” campaign, Chengdu in Sichuan is now recruiting panda guardians. The selected individuals will spend the next year traveling to every country and region around the world that is home to giant pandas, such as the United States, Mexico, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany, among others, to embark on a “
Chengdu has officially opened applications for its global recruitment of Panda Ambassadors. Ultimately, three volunteers will be selected to embark on a guardianship journey to countries around the world that are home to pandas. (Image source / ChengduPambassador Facebook fan page)
The first "Chengdu Global Recruitment of Panda Ambassadors" campaign in 2010 saw over 60,000 participants from 52 countries and regions. Six lucky contestants won the competition and had the unique opportunity to spend one month up close with the giant pandas at the Chengdu Panda Base. This year’s selected Panda Ambassadors will not only get an intimate experience with the giant pandas but will also join a five-month “Global Panda Guardianship Journey,” visiting all countries that are home to pandas and spreading awareness about panda conservation to local communities.
Dr. Zhang Zhihe, the world’s leading panda scientist and director of the Chengdu Panda Base, Peter Knights, global chairman of WildAid, and former NBA player Yao Ming all attended the launch ceremony yesterday (September 10). (Image source / ChengduPambassador Facebook fan page)
In January this year, Chengdu released six captive-bred giant pandas into the “Panda Valley” in Dujiangyan, marking the beginning of a wild reintroduction training research project set to continue for at least 50 years. Themed “PandaQuest - Be the next Chengdu Pambassador,” this year’s ambassador recruitment will see participants explore both the “Panda Valley” in Dujiangyan and the more remote Longxi-Hongkou wild panda habitat, seeking the best pathways for hundreds of “urban panda clans” to return to their natural mountain homes. They will also dive deep into the Chengdu Panda Base, taking on specialized roles such as panda doctor, panda mother, and panda chef to get up close and personal with nearly 100 adorable captive-bred giant pandas. Applications for this recruitment drive are being accepted exclusively via Facebook from today until October 1. Visit www.facebook.com/ChengduPambassador to sign up. Contestants will compete in four regional divisions—Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and China—before 16 finalists from each division gather in Chengdu at the end of October for the final selection round, where the three lucky “Chengdu Panda Ambassadors” will be chosen.
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