It is estimated there are less than two thousand giant Panda bears worldwide. 70% of the population can be found in Sichuan province. And its capital is Chengdu. Hence there is a Panda research and breeding centre on the outskirt and in the north of Chengdu.
To get there take the Metro line 3, newly opened in July 2016, to Chengdu zoo station (2 Yuan). Exit A leads you to the bus terminal. Bus 198 / 198A sets you off in front of the Panda centre (2 Yuan).
During the hot summer season, currently 35°C, the Panda bears are lazy. Kept in airconditioned enclosure to avoid the heat. They used to live in cooler higher region, under 20°C and above 800 m in bamboo forest, their main nutrition (98%).
In wild life they spend 16 hours per day, in capture 10 hours per day for food intake. So you just see them laying motionless around in enclosure or feeding bamboo sprouts, their fancy food, like a perpetuum motion machine.
Infant pandas are nursed in incubator in the breeding station
Red panda, cousin of the giant panda, is easier to care for. They are much smaller in size and run around in open air compound.