Panda ambassadors spread love in Edinburgh

The old lady was in her 60s, but the white sweater she wore Tuesday was cool, with the smiling face of a giant panda.

"I am wearing it especially for this event," said Lynn Kitchen, smiling from ear to ear as well. The event she referred to was the visit of three panda ambassadors to Edinburgh Zoo, representing the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

In fact, she was one of the around 50 visitors with whom the panda ambassadors, or Pambassadors, namely Melissa Katz from the United States, Jerome Pouille from France and Erica Chen Yinrong from China, shared their experiences.

"I learned about this event from the facebook page of 'Panda Fandom'," she said. A few days later, Kitchen traveled by train for an hour from Glasgow to Edinburgh, the only city in Britain that houses pandas after Yang Guang and Tian Tian, or Sunshine and Sweet, were loaned to the zoo in 2011 for 10 years.

The old lady "got hooked" with giant pandas in 2009, after a visit to the United States where she saw pandas. "They are the most gorgeous animal," she said.

Since then, Kitchen collected lots of information about pandas. During the question-and-answer session, she could answer even the hardest questions from the Pambassadors, like the population of pandas, the weight of a cub, and the cause why they are endangered.

"Sometimes I know the answer, but I was not going to say," Kitchen said proudly.

She learned something as well. "I learned more about China's efforts trying to protect this species, and their problems," she said, adding that she would ask the Pambassadors more questions before they leave.

Unlike Kitchen, 15-year-old student Ruth Higginson first saw giant pandas only two years ago after the arrival of Yang Guang and Tian Tian.

"I didn't know much about pandas," she admitted. "I never cared how much bamboo they eat." Now that she got to know the animal better, she loved them more.

"I will interest the people around, and call on them to do something for pandas," she said.

The Pambassadors, who have been to 11 countries and regions before coming to Britain, were happy with the output.

"We like talking with visitors," said Pouille. "Education is the first step of conservation. The more they know about pandas, the more they could do."

The 32-year-old biologist said he himself was a good example. He fell in love with a panda toy at the age of two. At that time, bamboos died in China and pandas were in shortage of food. He received a lot of information as a child.

Gradually he extended his love to the nature, and chose to study ecology for his master's degree. He founded a popular website about pandas in 2002, calling for protection of wildlife.

Among the audience, about 30 were high school students, curious about pandas just like Pouille many years ago.

"They are the next generation," he said. "Some of those sitting here might be politicians in the future. They have the planet in their hands."

Chen, Pouille's fellow Pambassador, was also impressed by the knowledge of audiences.

"They know more than we thought," said Chen, a 27-year-old fashion magazine editor who was also a volunteer at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in 2009 and the World Expo in 2010.

She said she also appreciated the interaction with audiences. "They are curious, and wanted to know more and help."

At the same time, Chen said the global tour was also fruitful for herself.

"I saw different ways taking care of pandas by different zoos according to their own situation, and some are really worth learning," she said.

Pandas, also known as giant pandas, are native to China and one of the most endangered animal species in the world. Statistics show that a population of about 1,600 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the mountainous areas of the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, while more than 300 live in captivity.

Chen and her fellow panda conservation ambassadors, who officially kicked off their Global Panda Protection Tour on Aug. 23 in Hong Kong were supposed to visit 14 countries and regions.

Pouille was using his website as a platform; Katz was updating her blog; and Chen kept posting new photos and stories on her facebook page.

They planned to make an album with all the photos they took during the tour, and donate it to a wildlife foundation. Maybe they will even write a book.

Iain Valentine, director of giant pandas project at Edinburgh Zoo, saw great significance of the event.

"Panda is an easy one to talk about, to whom people are passionate," he said. "In fact, it is not only about pandas, but the habitat of all wildlife that we need to protect."

He noted that this exchange also opened a window for people outside China, through which they got to know the country and its culture better.

His view was shared by Wan Degang, consul of the Chinese Consulate General in Edinburgh.

"Giant pandas are a symbol of friendship, a valuable gift from nature not only for China but for the world," Wan said. "The tour of panda ambassadors has deepened understanding between people in different countries, and enhanced cultural exchange among them."