On April 22, 2011, a wild giant panda was discovered by a local farmer on his way to his rhubarb patch, the panda was in obvious distress having difficulty breathing. It appeared she had not eaten for some time. The Forestry Bureau of Songpan County organized a rescue and was able to get the sick panda downhill.

The panda was transported to the hospital at Bifengxia Panda Base and is currently under the care of Dr. Wang Cheng Dong where she was evaluated and determined to be malnourished and dehydrated. With care at the hospital Dr. Wang reports improvement in her condition.

The vets have been calling the panda "Song Ya" after where she was found, but we here at Pandas International think "Rhubarb" is a better nickname.

Earlier on April 11th, the Wolong China Giant Panda Protection Research Center, rescued another giant panda referred to as "Rain Poetry" or "Rain Poem" in Sichuan Province, near Wolong Town. After treatment at Bifengxia this panda is also improving.

These rescues are extremely timely as Pandas International has recently been asked by Professor Zhang Hemin Director of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda to assist with the bamboo planting in the Wolong Nature Center. So for "Rhubarb" and "Rain Poetry" and all the wild pandas as well as our captive pandas, now is the time to plant bamboo!

May 8th will be the 3rd anniversary of the Earthquake in Sichuan China which damaged the Wolong Panda Center and killed an estimated 100,000 people and the beloved panda Mao Mao.

With so many natural disasters around the world it is easy to forget about an event 3 years ago — BUT — Bamboo is the primary food source of the giant pandas. Mother Nature has not been kind to the Pandas' Habitat in Sichuan; the earthquake of 2008 destroyed large areas of bamboo in the Wolong Nature Center; in 2009 and 2010 mud and rock slides caused more damage; and in 2011 heavy snow fall at Wolong has again smashed the bamboo. Malnourished pandas needing to be rescued definitely highlight the need for Bamboo planting.

One of the first rebuilding projects was homes for the farmers who will grow the bamboo.

Currently 90% of the farmers have moved into new housing and are ready to begin planting this summer and fall.

Work is also progressing on a new road to the Wolong Panda Center, the Disease Control Center in Dujiangyan and ground has been broken on the new Wolong Panda Center.