When I was little, I was crazy about pandas. I had so many plush toys and illustrated books about these cute black and white bears.When I heard that Pairi Daiza, voted the most beautiful park and best zoo in Belgium, was welcoming two giant pandas, I knew I had to go there. The pandas have been there for almost a year, but I haven’t had the chance to visit until last Sunday… Unfortunately, the weather was quite awful, but I still managed to take some pictures, despite the rain.
Pairi Daiza is divided in 7 worlds dedicated to different ecosystems or cultures of the world, including the Immortal’s city where the pandas can be found.Everything is authentic over there, from the temples and pavilions to the paths of gemstones. They hired construction partners that came directly from Shanghai to maintain that respect for tradition. It is really “authentic” and very nice to visit ! It’s my favourite part of this theme park !
Hao Hao and Xing Hui are really cut and are not really shy. I spent some time over there, taking pictures of them… eating 😀 Pandas eat almost only bamboo, however, bamboo is not a food that contains a lot of protein and their digestive tract is not adapt to digest plants. Therefore, they only manage to extract 20 to 30% of their nutritive elements… So, that’s why they have to eat all day long !
They have very good teeth and they also have a sixth finger to be able to hold the bamboo tight. So I understand why pandas can be as dangerous as other bears… 🙁
There are also other animals in this part, including red pandas, muntjacs, cranes and Chinese Alligators. But what is really striking in the Immortal’s city is the beauty of the gardens. They are so peaceful, you could easily spend hours over there.
The park is so big that it’s difficult to visit everything in one day ! We also visited briefly the part of the park dedicated to Africa.
This giraffe was acting really weirdly, the animal was licking the wood repeatedly. When I got home, I tried to find some explanations about this strange behavior. Apparently, it is known as a stereotypical animal behavior. A lot of suppositions are made concerning these behaviors since the biological cause is often not know, but people think it’s due to the frustration of natural behavior patterns… or brain dysfunction. It’s quite common in zoos, as animals get bored easily and start to develop OCD like liking walls or chewing their fur. It made me sad when I read about that…. but on the other hand, I found another explanation as well. They like to lick salty things and they need them in their diet… so people from the zoo rub salt on the wood pillar to provide mineral salts to the giraffe. I don’t know what’s the most plausible… I hope it’s the second reason. If someone knows more about it, feel free to share you knowledge ! 🙂
This weekend, I’m going to Wales for a wedding, I hope the weather will be good ! Have a lovely weekend 🙂
Nice photos, is that with the Olympus?
Yes, I took the olympus that day, it was taken with the kit lens 🙂
I think the evolution of the panda from a carnivorous diet to a vegeterian one is really odd but quite fascinating!
Zoochosis is heartbreaking, especially since it’s a widespread condition in zoos around the world, as well as circuses. Nothing justifies wildlife captivity, even conservation in most cases, and the truth is the vast majority of captive animals isn’t threatened at all.
Here’s an interesting piece about stereotypic behavior in the case of elephants: http://elefilm.eu/web/home.html
It is really odd and fascinating, I agree with you. It makes no sense to me to spend so much time of the day eating food with not a lot of nutrients 😀
I watched the documentary. It’s really sad. Zoo, circus but also elephant rides proposed for tourists are really bad for them 🙁
On the other hand, I think that bringing children to the zoos can educate them to respect the wildlife. What’s your opinion about that ?
True, elephant rides are messed up too. I think it’s one thing to use domesticated animal, but using wildlife for fun or work is rarely ok in my opinion because it restrict their freedom too much. Maybe some working elephants are well treated tho, I dunno. Some stunt animals definitely look happy… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7zXS_Lvykc (this guy’s amazing!)
I don’t believe zoos are educational, rather the opposite, sorry :p Going to zoos, kids grow up with the idea that captivity is ok and that’s already a wrong start in my opinion. Besides what they see is a distortion of nature from a very detached perspective. If I’d want my kid to be sensitive to nature, I’d rather throw him in the real outdoors.
So far, studies failed to prove that zoo visitors come out more educated about nature and conservation and adjust their behavior as a result (http://nbb.emory.edu/faculty/personal/documents/MarinoetalAZAStudy.pdf)
Thanks for this very detailed reply, and also, thanks for sharing the link, that is very interesting ! I read the article. Yes, I understand your point of view. For me, going to zoo when I was little, as well as spending all my weekend in the nature, definitively helps, but I should not make a generality 🙂 Some zoos are really educational, there are workshops for children that explain a lot of problem related to climate and conservation. Singapore zoo is just amazing and the Brooklyn zoo is quite good as well regarding these aspects. But there are shitty zoos out there, for sure. Maybe we should just watch documentary, it would be really good without interfering with the life of wildlife animals 🙂
I think these days, circus are not popular anymore, people have realized that the animals are poorly treated. In the future, maybe it will be the same with zoos, who knows.
Hey no pb, I’m glad u found it interesting 🙂 Yes, there seems to be a trend to end captivity, so we can hope for the best. I know the UK wanted to ban wildlife in circuses a few months ago but then for some reason they backpedalled… I’m sure it will pass eventually, some countries already prohibit it.
Ye, I think zoo may work for some people, but definitely not the majority, like you say 🙂
The pandas look so cute and lovable!
I agree, they are so cute 🙂
That’s interesting about the pandas and their digestion. I worry about zoos, too. They can be unique and give a chance to see animals up close that you can’t usually but I have also seen some unusual behavior that makes me want to unlock the cage door. Then again, if the animal only knows captivity, it likely wouldn’t last. The design does look very peaceful!
Yes, there are a lot of things we don’t really know about animals. i love watching documentaries, I always learn a lot about the wildlife 🙂
I agree with your mixed feelings about zoo. I think there are a lot of pros but also some cons… regarding these kind of institutions.
So true! I think there are a lot of assumptions made about animals, humanizing them or trying to explain their behavior from a human perspective. I suppose that’s really all humans can do since we can’t be animals at the same time. But then again, maybe animals are not so different. I wonder if, in some culture, there’s no distinct word for animals or the word or words is similar to that of humans, recognizing that there is collaboration and one is not always higher than the other. And two thumbs up to documentaries! They are amazing… even the ones about mountains and geology. I watched one once about the Canadian shield and the host was so enthusiastic, I walked away feeling like he does… that mountains breathe and move and live just like humans, albeit at a much slower pace. 😀
Gorgeous pictures. I especially like the panda’s and the one with red leaves hanging down. So beautiful! Great post 🙂
Thanks ! The pandas are cute, I took so many pictures of them, it was difficult to choose which one to post! Sorry for the delay, but.. Life has been busy as you could imagine 🙂
I love Pandas, too!!! You captured it all so beautifully, images are absolutely stunning. Thank you for sharing. I will have to put Belgium on my list for travels 🙂
There are some nice places in Belgium, but unfortunately, they are far away from each other 😀
How far??? Hours or days? Well, all the more reason to take a longer vacation, right? 😃😃😃
Belgium is quite small, you need 4 hours to cross the country, from the most northern point to the most southern one 😉 It’s maybe several hours from bruges, 1 hour from the airport for example 😉
I was looking forward to this post!!! I love Pandas <3 Gorgeous shots! I've never seen one though. I came close to visiting the zoo in Vienna, but I ran out of time. When I was there, they had a baby panda. 🙁 Oh well, maybe soon enough! Have a great weekend! x
awwwwwwwww I would love to see a baby panda (and I would love to dress as a panda to avoid to scare the baby even if it’s useless :D)
Hahahahaha :))))) I love your idea. Actually I saw people doing this, and I put it on my wish list as well. To bad we don’t celebrate Halloween around here, huh? hahah
Me too ! I’ve seen people doing that in Washington DC zoo 😀 We bought a kigurumi (I have a fox and my bf has a panda). Just google it if you don’t know what it is :p:p It’s very comfy 😀
Awww I so want one now!!! Look what you did hahaha. They are adorable!! <3 We should have a kingurimi party 😀 I can't choose one, so I'll bring a few, and change every hour :)))
haha, yeah, kigurugi party sounds awesome !! especially during winter 😀
I love Pandas!!! They are sooo cute! I have never seen one though! Would love to do it! Your pictures of them are amazing, Gin.
There are some pandas in Vienna as well 🙂 I’m not sure about others zoos in Europe 🙂
I really enjoyed your photos here, espec. the Pandas. Great info too. My first thought when you mentioned the giraffe licking the wood was “salt.” I’ve been to many places in the wild too where animals lick the clay or river beds to get the minerals that are missing from their diet. I use the same excuse for eating potato chips and pretzels…ha.
I’m glad to hear that ! Some other people also confirm the “salt” theory. I feel better about it 🙂 as for the potato chips, I have to plead guilty as well 😀
Oh, really nice to see pandas in Europe! Fantastic set of photos 🙂 Bye. Kamila
A part from Vienna and Belgium, I don’t know if there is another place in Europe that houses pandas 🙂 I’ve never been to Vienna, but I’ve read some reviews about it, and it looks good as well.
Thanks ! Enjoy the rest of your week
So adorable! Maybe I should visit Belgium soon 🙂 Thanks for the review!!
I think it’s one highlight of Belgium that is advertised in the airport 😀
I’m crazy about red pandas!! 😀 So cute!
They look like living plush toy 🙂
I love pandas, too. What a lovely setting for them to be in. And why are red pandas so cute? Great post and you’ve been so lucky with the weather in Wales! Hope you had a great time xx
Oh yes, the weather was just fantastic !! Back in Belgium now, but I had a great time. In 5 days, it’s the big move to the UK ! Haaaaaaa
Whoop whoop! We definitely have to meet up when you come to London x
I may have to go to the Belgian embassy in London at one point 😉
I have always been fascinated by the pandas and the fact that their diet is bamboo… How can this huge bear survive on bamboo!! 🙂 I had no idea they had a six finger…hehe, fun fact. I still don’t believe they can be dangerous – just look how cute they are! 😉
they look cute, but then, you at their teeth and claws.. definitively not cute 😉
Remarkable photographs…. The pandas are extremely cute 👌
Sending you all my best wishes!. Enjoy your weekend ahead, Aquileana 😀
It has been a crazy weekend and a crazy week so far. I don’t have a minute to myself. Thanks for the wishes, I had fun this weekend ! But really behind answering comments and visiting other blogs ! 🙂
Such beautiful photos, looks like a lovely zoo. The red pandas are so cute!
It’s a very special zoo, it’s a cross over between a theme park and a zoo, and you don’t see a lot of cages. There are pros and cons but all in all, I love this place 🙂
Who doesn’t love a panda? I had a red panda at my last zoo, and she was really special. Made it worth harvesting bamboo every day!
haha ! I can imagine the hard work. Are they picky with the bamboo ?
She would only eat the most tender parts, so we had to remove the rest daily. Maybe the giant pandas are less picky than our red 🙂
Hmmm who knows 🙂 haha, I didn’t know they were such picky eaters 🙂
Ohh, I absolutely adore pandas. I became a big fan when I Iived only minutes away from the National Zoo in Washington D.C. last summer, as they currently have three there. Fantastic pictures. 🙂
I love the way the zookeeper dressed in Washington zoo when the baby panda was born 😀 It was just awesome 😀
Ah, I don’t think I saw that. However, I did love visiting Bao Bao when he was a year old last summer. I’m sure he’s way bigger now, but he was still fairly small when I was there and I lived five minutes away from the zoo…so I went to see him a few times. 🙂
haha, yes, I can understand, 5 minutes away is really close-by !!! 🙂 I would have gone there as well 🙂 aaaaall the time 😀
lovely pictures.. 🙂
Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed them ! I took them with my new olympus and I’m quite happy with the results 🙂
the pandas are so adorable! awesome photography! beautiful!
Thank you ! Yes, these little cute bears were just adorable 🙂
I just love pandas Gin! One of the main highlights of our trip to Vienna last year was seeing the giant pandas in Schoenbrunn Zoo – they have had great success with their panda breeding programme and the pair there have had at least 3 baby pandas so far 🙂 Years ago I saw the last giant panda at London Zoo (Chi Chi) – she was very old then and I was very young!! Have a great weekend in Wales at the wedding 🙂
I remembered you saw the pandas in Vienna, I was very jealous of you, believe me 🙂
It will be fun ! I’m sure ! I missed my flight this morning, so instead of flying at 7 am I’m flying at 10pm… 100% my fault. I forgot my ID and…. my flight tickets 🙁
Oh no that’s no good Gin 🙁 Hope you get there in time for the wedding though! Am glad you’ve seen the pandas they are wonderful aren’t they?! Have a lovely time in Wales when you get there 🙂
Oh dear Rosemary, I think it was the worst day of my life. After the missed flight, my other flight was delayed due to bad weather. Once I get to the uk, we drove towards newport and then, the highway was closed then we had to make a huge detour (at least 1 hour) to take another highway and we arrived around 4 am 🙁 This was horrendous. Thankfully, we had fun afterwards 😀 I didn’t really have time to visit Wales, but we may get back there in July 🙂
Oh my goodness that does sound horrendous Gin it’s stressful when stuff like that happens. Sorry that the weather was bad too – our daughter in London said it was really nice there earlier this week but I think that was only for a day! Hope you recovered enough to enjoy the wedding and that the return journey was much better! Wishing you a good rest of the week too! 😃
It was bad in Belgium, but in Wales, the weather was lovely. The return journey was much better !
We unpacked some boxes already (from my bf) and we went to ikea ! The flat starts to look nice 🙂
The red pandas are adorable!! Have fun in Wales and hope the weather is good!
Well, I’ve missed my flight, so it has started quite badly. But I hope the rest will be alright 😉
That’s never good! Hope you were able to get there anyway!
I’m flying tonight, at 10 pm 🙁
Ooh, I find pandas super cute too! Especially baby pandas….if only I can play with them but it’s always good to still be cautious with animals…but still…it’s one of my favourite animals to watch..hehe..😄
I would love to see babies pandas !!!! I have seen some zookeeper dressed as pandas in Washington DC zoo in order not too disturb the baby panda. That was so cool and weird at the same time !!!
That is so funny to think of though…I suppose they are trying not to disturb their natural behaviour patterns…but still…haha! 😄
beautiful shots and it look great when they designed the places in different section for different types of animals. It is so cool to see so many wild animals in one place. Love it and thanks for sharing.
It’s really well thought and well designed. Each year, they are improving existing world or building new one. It’s crazy. It’s my favourite “zoo”, with Singapore’s zoo
Thanks and yea I might go and visit Singapore zoo when I back home in July.
It’s going to be hot in July … you are brave 😉
Yes, the hottest weather in Asia. As my this trip have been book to Turkey, Hong Kong, Taiwan and singapore and back in England late August.
Sounds awesome !
Lovely pictures. The red pandas are my faves. 🙂
With their little pink tongue, they look quite playful.
Oh wow! The pandas are so cute!!!
Yes, they are, right ???!!! 🙂
Great photos, and fun to read of your fascination with pandas! I had no thoughts whatsoever about pandas and was not looking forward to a trip to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding when I was in China. As it turned out, it was really interesting; I enjoyed walking through the bamboo-surrounded walkways, and the pandas were cute. I loved the babies and also the red ones that look like raccoons.
It must be incredible to see them in their “natural” environment, even if it’s a breeding station.
Yes! The red pandas really look like raccoon :d
Amazing creatures! So clumsy and lazy – I bet I was a panda in my past life 😀
haha ! You like to eat bamboo ? That’s your creepy secret ? 😀
I would love to visit this place. Pandas don’t seem real to me. They look like enormous cuddly soft toys! What a wonderful experience to have been able to get up so close to them. Thanks for introducing me to the red pandas as well. They are cuties too. What a special place this is. 🙂
It’s really a special place. A paradise for children (and adults too). The red pandas are really fluffy as well 🙂
I kept thinking how cute they looked, but I guess most large animals look cute from the safe distance of ones laptop screen. Great shots, especially the spiderweb wonderful usage of environment and composition.
I agree with you. They look cute from a distance, but when you look closer, you see how sharp their claw and teeth are. Thank you for the nice comment ! I tried my best despite the lack of a blue sky. This horrible grey sky was quite horrible to deal with !
I absolutely ADORE pandas, and when I was younger I had SO many stuffed pandas too. These are amazing photos.
A lot of kids love pandas I think, it’s the ultimate teddy bear 🙂
Love this. Excellent post and images.
Thank you ! The pandas are very lovable 🙂 Enjoy your weekend 🙂
Great shots! What a treat for you to finally meet these adorable Pandas face to face. You probably already know this, but I saw a documentary recently and was shocked to learn that Pandas are one of the world’s most fascinating vegetarians because they did not initially evolve as such. I had no idea that their digestive systems evolved to process meat and that all this bamboo eating, all day, every day, is how they evolved to cope with their changing environment. Apparently, these animals should not be able to survive on a bamboo diet, yet they do! What beautiful and extraordinary creatures! ~ Jeannie
It’s technically the same family as the brown bear, so I’m not surprised they would be able to process meat. Because they are eating bamboo, they can hibernate like the other member of the family, because they don’t get enough energy out of it and can’t stock to face winter. It’s fascinating, you are right. Pandas are fascinating.. and cute 🙂
What a beautiful abstract photography Pairi Daiza, a place that I love.Yes, I live in Belgium but it is far from home.I regret or I think I would go every day.
Me too, I would go there everyday if it wasn’t at 2 hours from home 🙂 It’s so pretty 🙂
They do look cute and fuzzy. Great Photo. Jim
Yes, they do !! But they also look scary, with the huge claws and sharp teeth. You should have seen them ripping the bamboo… that was impressive.
Thanks for the chronicle and the link to the zoo someday I hope to see pandas in live too. The etymology was also quite interesting!
In Peru there are bears but they’re a bit muted in comparisson, although they have “glasses” xP
Do you have a picture of these Peruvians bears ? 😀
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ours_%C3%A0_lunettes 🙂
awwww it is quite cute as well 🙂
Just love the clarity of your pictures. Very colorful 🙂 Looks like a great day.
I’m quite lucky, because the weather was just awful ! I like this new camera 🙂
Which camera do you have? If you don’t mind sharing 🙂
Olympus OMD EM 5 mark ii (I made a post about it a few days ago “come here, human”). I’m quite happy with it, but I still have to practice 🙂
Beautiful! I love a good zoo, animal sanctuary, etc. It looks really nice there.
It is. It’s really beautiful. there are 5000 animals I think, and more than 55 hectares
Wow, that is large! Very cool.
Love pandas – only seen them once in the zoo in Vienna but I could have watched them (do nothing except eat) all day. Something about them just pulls you in. This zoo sounds like a great one too. Enjoy the wedding and Wales – the weather has (finally) perked up a bit in the UK, fingers crossed it stays…..
tonight, in Belgium, the weather is quite good. Blue sky, around 25°C… hmmm perfect to eat outside !
Me too, I could have stayed for hours just looking at them eating 😉
It is a beautiful animal panda,
thank you to you to discover us
with beautiful photos. Firefox is beautiful too.
Have a nice sunny day.
It’s quite pleasant this evening, we are eating outside ! Nice for a change 🙂 Have a nice evening !
Really lovely images Gin!
Thank you ! It’s more fun with good weather, but I was glad that the gardens were partially covered… 😉
Oooh Pandas! Lovely post! Awesome photos!
Pandas are very iconic and look really cuddly 🙂
Great images and details, as usual!
Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed my walk in the immortal’s city 🙂 I would have taken more picture under a bright sun 😉
Gorgeous photos! I’m afraid I have seen similar behavior in a polar bear in activity. He paced incessantly and the keepers had the poor thing on anti depressants.
Oh really ? Polar bears always look miserable in zoos… they need a lot of space I think.
Really superb shots all round, but particularly the pandas. You seem to have captured ‘personality’ if you can say that of pandas! They look more than just cuddly – perhaps it’s that bamboo snack they’re enjoying so much.
They look cuddly but when I saw the huge teeth and claws, I wouldn’t want to give them a hug 🙂
So cute. Till this day I cant toss any of my stuff animals from childhood. I,ve heard the 1st reason for strange animal behavior. Try not too think of it that way. As long as they are taken care of good. Some animals are also just weird like that depending on personality. There’s a client at the vets office her cat likes to lick and try and chew her brick wall. She takes good care of them and gives him lots of attention.
haha, yes, maybe some animals are just weird, like people 🙂 Oh that’s really weird… I’ve never heard about a cat doing that… maybe the cat is stressed ?
Was trying to delete my typo and I accidently posted. The cat is fine. I don’t think stressed. Lives with a dog he likes. One of the techs mentioned that pets take on the nervous energy of the owners.
Oh what beautiful photos of beautiful animals! I love how you include shots of both the giant pandas and ‘lesser’ pandas 🙂 I love pandas too. They are very popular here, and we have some pandas on a special loan from China. As you can imagine, they attract big crowds. I enjoyed your photos so much (as always!). Thanks for posting, and hope you enjoy the wedding!!
These pandas are a special loan from China as well. they won’t stay forever in Belgium, but it’s part of a breeding program. So far, it has been unsuccessful 🙂
The red pandas are quite cute too ! I really loved the gardens where they were hidden 🙂
I hope I will enjoy as well, since I don’t know anyone, I’m a bit scared :s Enjoy your weekend dear Takami ! xx
Oh, I understand the feeling (of not knowing anyone). But maybe you can bring your camera and snap some photos? 😀 I’ll be thinking of you, my friend!!
haha !!! Exactly !! I’m planning to bring my camera and practice with my new olympus 😉 I’ve never done any portrait photography, so it will be a nice opportunity.
I’m sure you’ll make wonderful shots♡
I hope so !! 🙂 Have a nice weekend !
Awww, you are a panda lover! I like pandas too, but I prefer monkeys. Whenever I hear there is a new monkey at the zoo, I will have to go and see it 😉
These are incredible photos of the animals at the zoo. Very well shot from a far (I’m assuming you had to stand back from the cage or barriers) and love the one of the red panda and it’s tongue sticking out. So cute. I didn’t know pandas can be dangerous and have six fingers. Better be careful not to get too close to them 😀
It’s a bit more than a zoo, because most animals are not trapped in cages. It’s in the open air, and they put some electric fences (the size depending on the size of the animals) so the animals can’t cross. And you are quite far away from them most of the time.
Oh, I had to take so many pictures of the red panda. I wanted to take a picture of the pink tongue, but it was tricky 😉
I don’t like the sound of electric fences. I’m sure it’s no harm to animals…but you never know with all the electricity behind them. But, good that the visitors are generally far from the animals so nothing to fear 🙂
I am sure the red panda loved the attention you were giving him. Now he is famous on your blog 😉
This park has been voted the best zoo of France-Belgium-Holland, so I think the welfare is important in this nomination. I seriously think that the condition of the animals are good. But like you said, electric fence doesn’t sound, I agree 😉
Haha, the red panda was quite far away and I think he didn’t give a shit about the visitors. He was more interesting about the other red panda, and the “zoo keepers” were thinking they may have babies this year 🙂
Oh they are such awesome animals! The red pandas are gorgeous but I haven’t had the chance to see any black and white pandas since I was in Hong Kong 8 years ago. I may have to take a trip to Belgium just for these 🙂
They won’t stay forever in Belgium, it’s temporary. But it’s still awesome 🙂 Apparently, they also have pandas in Vienna 😉
There are a couple in Edinburgh Zoo too but I just never seem to have the chance to go. I will have to start making some panda plans 🙂
haha, sounds quite interesting ! But once you’ve seen them eating, you’ve seen everything 😀
That’s so true! Every time I saw Panda, they were sitting in one place eating, hour after hour. 😊
haha, it must be a panda thing 😀