Explore Bears

Stop in and see some of Bao Bao's distant relatives on HD live cam and share your favorite snapshots in the comments. We'll pick the top 5 each week and share them on the explore blog.

Some great snapshots this week! Check these out, and go grab your own on the live cams. (Snapshot above by viewer Wojodog1-Greensboro, N.C.)

It's cubbie season and our hearts are all aflutter with the arrivals of new panda cubs. Particularly fun to watch are Ju Xiao's triplets, who are looking more like pandas every time we see an update. Check out this recent photo, and visit the big pandas on HD live cam. 

We had a lot of contributors this week, grabbing some great snapshots of our beloved Giant Pandas doing what they do. Check out this week's highlights, and keep the snapshots coming! Don't forget to join our caption contest -- we'll announce the winner next week. (Snapshot above by viewer violet77.)

It's been a foggy week on the live cams, but viewers continue to capture great moments. Enjoy the panda cams and grab a few snapshots of your own — yours might show up in our top 5 next week! (snapshot above by viewer Copaz-NJ.)

How do you stay cool during the summer? Well, it's a little more challenging for our friends in their fur coats, but we can always count on our Giant Pandas to show us that where there's a will, there's a way. Here's a super cute roundup of how pandas in Qinling Giant Panda Field Training Base -- in northwest China's Shaanxi Province -- stay cool in record-breaking temperatures. 

We just posted the top 5 panda snapshots from this week. Check them out, and grab your own snapshots on our HD live cams. Share them in the comments for all to enjoy, and yours might make next week's roundup!

It's birthing season! As we discussed in the first installment of this series, conception can be tricky for Giant Pandas, especially in captivity. In Part 2, we'll talk more about the newborn panda. Read Part 2 here, and stop by and visit the Giant Pandas via HD live cam here. 

This is the final installment of a beautiful story from Qiang Zhou, a panda keeper at CCRCGP. Catch up on the story so far, and read on for Part 4. We encourage you to stop by and visit the other pandas via HD live cam, too!

This is the continuation of an inspiring account from Qiang Zhou, a panda keeper at CCRCGP. Catch up on what's happened so far, and read on for the rest of the story.

Panda Cam snapshot by Rob.

This is the continuation from a story we started earlier this week: a wonderful account from a panda keeper at CCRCGP. It continues with the miracle of life. 

We're excited to share Part 1 of a fantastic series from Qiang Zhou (translated by Pat Weiyi Zhang), a panda keeper at CCRCGP. This series chronicles the story of Qiang Qiang - a panda who was found with two shattered back legs - and those whose hearts and souls went into saving his life. Part 1 sets the stage with an account of how Qiang Zhou came to be a panda keeper, followed by an account of Qiang Qiang's arrival at CCRCGP after having both rear legs amputated at the knees. Read the rest of Part 1 here, and stop by to visit some of the pandas via HD live cam. Part 2 to follow!

We recently came across this awesome article about one person's journey in learning about -- and connecting with -- pandas. It's a story of hard times, inspiration and perseverance, with thoughts we can all learn from and live by, inspired by our favorite animals.

Our beloved Tai Shan celebrated his 9th birthday recently with some special friends and delicious treats. Snacks like carrots, apples, watermelon and bamboo were frozen into beautiful "cakes" for Tai Shan and his friends to enjoy. See our photo album of the big day here, and highlights of his friends at Bifengxia.

Like most pandas, Yun Zi was not named until he was 100 days old.  His was selected from a list of over 6,300 names submitted by his fans. He received his official name on November 17, 2009 at 104 days of age.  He made his public debut on January 7, 2010, at 155 days of age. Learn more about Yun Zi and his journey back to China.

Jerry arrived in China last week with suitcases full of supplies for the Dujiangyan Panda Center. These included training collars for training reintroduction pandas and basic supplies like medicines. The pandas in training for reintroduction could be released as early as this fall!