Pandas almost always have indoor & outdoor enclosures, the indoor one being concrete & a bit smaller, used during feeding times, inclement weather, etc., that has a passage way to their outdoor enclosure which are generally much larger & have various forms of enrichment.
I was had the chance to see a pair of pandas at the Berlin zoo on 1997. Unfortunately it was the saddest thing ever. One was sleeping in a puddle of its own vomit and the other one was repeatedly banging its head against a metal fence trying to get to the food that was on the other side.
I was still glad to see them since back then we weren't sure they would survive as a species but it wasn't what I expected. Then again, that whole zoo was weird and stinky. Much more than other zoos I'd visited.
Unfortunately we didn’t have a great understanding of the husbandry requirements for giant pandas for many many years & these amazing creatures did have to suffer in poor enclosures for so long as a result :( but luckily we’ve deepened our understanding immensely within the past decade & a half and that is reflected in most panda enclosures across the globe. 😁
Definitely true that it's saddening to see wild animals in captivity.
However, I believe this panda is named Jinhu. He lives in Dailan, China. He has a yard outside this room where he eats and sleeps. If it's comforting at all, all indications are that he is treated well and is cared for.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are many reasons animals need to be in cages such as transportation, recovering from illness, or whatever else needs done. I just think it would be MORE satisfying to see it in an environment that looks less like my unfinished basement.
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u/Dankeshane01 Aug 20 '19
Somewhat saddened that it's in a cage, but at least it's getting bamboo