Student volunteer gets up close and personal with China's giant pandas

Julie Guan was surprised to find out that a panda needs to eat approximately 14 kilograms of bamboo, carrots and apples daily. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Our first task as was to clean up the panda's cage. It was nerve-wracking to know there was a live creature watching and studying my every move.

Although it was a tedious job, it was interesting to be in the panda's living area and see how big the animals really are. I found out that a panda needs to eat approximately 14 kilograms of bamboo, carrots and apples daily. Pandas actually fear heat, so the conservation center provides each animal with an ice block to keep it comfortable.

When it was time to feed the pandas, the keeper gave my cousin and me five pieces of food each, which consisted of bamboo, carrots, or bread to feed to a one-year-old male. As I extended my hand I tentatively waited for the panda to take a bite. It reached for the food and snatched the scrap from my hand, chewing ravenously.