Giant icons and lesser kin: Chinese public perception of panda welfare at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding

In this paper, we consider the extent to which wildlife tourism in China
has become a nodal point where human-animal interactions have been
consistently shaped and reshaped by the multiple layers of naturecultural
complexity. We do this by investigating Chinese visitors' evaluations
of animal welfare as they apply to red and giant pandas at the Chengdu
Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Panda Base). A survey of Chinese
visitors indicated generally positive perceptions of the welfare
conditions of pandas at the Panda Base. Visitors largely viewed the
institution as providing excellent care to pandas, reflecting a high
degree of public trust in the organization. While red pandas were
perceived to experience slightly better welfare conditions, visitor
concern and attention focused more heavily on giant pandas—possibly due to
their iconic status. This study investigates how species status and
environmental visibility influence Chinese visitors’ perceptions of animal
welfare at a major wildlife tourism site. It highlights how iconic animals
such as the giant panda are often assumed to receive excellent care, while
lesser-known species like the red panda invite more diverse
interpretations—thus revealing a potential symbolic bias in public welfare
judgments. These findings suggest a symbolic bias in welfare judgments,
shaped not only by observable enclosure features but also by the animals’
cultural significance in the native culture.