NE China Building a New Forest Zoo at Yabuli Resort, Harbin

The Yabuli Resort, in suburban Harbin, Heilongjiang province has plans to build an 11.41-hectare forest zoo at a cost of 50 million yuan($8.06 million), the resort’s administration reports, noting that it will focus on wildlife protection, increased awareness, research, and entertainment.

It will also bring in pandas and large animals which/that are seldom seen in other zoos in Harbin
and will create an ecology and environment that is similar to the animals’ habitats and develop a loop route to connect all the attractions in it, such as a panda house, aviary, and brown bear hall.

At least two of the pandas will come from the Wolong National Nature Reserve, in Sichuan province, one of China's major panda reserves, a director named He, from the reserve’s research center, said in a telephone interview with a local newspaper reporter.

In addition to being one of China’s premier winter resorts, Yabuli has also been developing its summer business in recent years, such as mountain climbing and camping, to become a year-round destination.