Among the most unusual and curious job offers, that of the Panda Cuddler – literally “pampered by the Panda” – certainly occupies a place of honor. And no, unfortunately it is not a fake news. In China, in fact, in specialized centers such as the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding or the Giant Panda Protection and Research Center, there are really work positions that provide direct and daily contact with giants. The salary? About $ 32,000 a yearto which they are added Free food and transport.
Responsibilities include apparently idyllic activities: nourish puppies, monitor its health, take photographs and – point point of the announcement – pamper them. A routine that, in the eyes of many, may seem more an indefinite holiday than a job. But is it really the case?
The minimum requirement is to have at least 22 yearspossess one Basic knowledge of the Pandaskills in writing and in the photograph. Ideal candidates should be willing to work all year round, often without breaks. In reality, however, this work is much less romantic than it appears on Instagram or Tiktok
@misszaebis #panda #pandahugger #smallpanda #pandawara #pandasakha
♬ оинальный звук – анастасиа болюаш
Wild animals transformed into attractions for social networks
On the ethical level, in fact, this profession can only raise questions. The pandas are wild animalsnot plush to pamper. In nature they are lonely and most of the time they spend alone, with the exception of the reproductive period. The physical interactions between adult specimens are rare and contact with the human being is not a natural condition.
It is also essential to underline that these animals live in captivity, Out of their original habitat in the woods of bamboo of the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Shanxi. The destruction of the environment and the fragmentation of their ecosystem made them vulnerable species And it is only thanks to the efforts of the research centers – and certainly not of the zoo – if the population has not further decreased.
@cosminvin #forlyou #fyp #panda
♬ Pops by Traditional Chinese Music Arrangement (151163) – Ginmugi
Behind the viral image of the panda embraced by the operator there is a more complex context. The idea of the “most beautiful profession in the world” risks trivializing the concept of conservation of biodiversitytransforming wild animals into Attractions for social media. Perhaps, instead of thinking about pampering them, we should commit ourselves to protect their habitat and rethink our relationship with nature. Because the real job of dreams should be what returns their freedom to the animals.
