The China Panda Conservation Challenge is a 12 day journey that allows participants to travel to China, enjoy amazing experiences and fundraise for Zoos SA's conservation efforts. One of the highlights of the trip is a visit to the Bifengxia Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre in Chengdu; somewhere I have been lucky enough to experience for myself.

Visiting the Bifengxia Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre is one of the trip's highlights!

22 January 1976 - 18 September 2008

Eli was born at Artis Zoo, Amsterdam on 22 January 1976 and arrived at Adelaide Zoo in 1978. He always had a relaxed manner and rarely showed any signs of aggression. In the morning he often acknowledged his keeper by waving his big paw in the air.

In summer he spent a lot of time in his pond playing with toys like fire hoses and milk crates.  And he loved to tear open boxes of sawdust which his sharp teeth and claws and then roll around in the sawdust.