Giant icons and lesser kin: Chinese public perception of panda welfare at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
Data files
Sep 22, 2025 version files 82.21 KB
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Pandas_consent_Submission.xlsx
73.57 KB
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README.md
8.64 KB
Abstract
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.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.bk3j9kdq3
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset is generated for the questionnaire, Giant panda welfare and informed consent questionnaire
Files and variables
File: Pandas_consent_Submission.xlsx
Description:
Giant_Red: 1 = Questionnaire collected for the giant panda; 2 = Questionnaire collected for the red panda
Survey Variables
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1. Your gender: [Single Choice]*
○ Male ○ Female 2. Your age: [Fill in the blank] *
_________________________________
3. Your occupation: [Single Choice] *
○ Full-time ○ Student ○ Freelance ○ Unemployed ○ Retired ○ Other 4. Your education: [Single Choice] *
○ Less than college ○ Some college ○ Undergraduate ○ Postgraduate and above 5. Your residence: [Single Choice] *
○ Chengdu ○ First-tier cities ○ Other regions in Sichuan ○ Provincial capitals ○ Other 6. How many times have you visited the Panda Base? [Single Choice]
○ Once ○ 2 times and more 7. Have you paid sufficient attention to the following [Matrix Single Choice] *
Yes No Nutrition of the panda ○ ○ Physical environmental conditions ○ ○ Health conditions ○ ○ Consent indicators ○ ○ Behavioral interactions-Environment ○ ○ Behavioral interactions-Other animals ○ ○ Behavioral interactions-Keepers ○ ○ Behavioral interactions-Tourists ○ ○ 8. Please evaluate the food supply of the giant panda [Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 Water supply ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Food quantity ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Food quality ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Food variety ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the first row header of Question 7.1. 9. Please evaluate the physical environmental conditions of the giant panda [Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 Spacious enclosure ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Enriched enclosures ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Enclosures protect pandas against thermal extremes ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the seconde row header of Question 7.2. 10. Please evaluate the health conditions of the giant panda [Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 The giant panda does not suffer from acute or chronic injuries ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ The giant panda enjoys good healthcare treatment ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ The animal is fit and attnds exercises ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the third row header of Question 7.3. 11. Please evaluate the behavioural interactions- environment of the giant panda [Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 The enclosure reflects the panda’s life stage ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Males and females are separated ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Multiple choices to move and be active ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the fourth row header of Question 7.4. 12. Please evaluate the behavioural interactions- other animals of the giant panda [Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 The animal socializes with a group ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ The animal plays with its peers ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ The animal can enjoy solidarity ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the fifth row header of Question 7.5. 13. Please evaluate the behavioural interactions- keepers of the giant panda [LIkert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 Keepers are kind and nice ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Keepers are qualified and skillful ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the sixth row header of Question 7.6. 14. Please evaluate the behavioural interactions- tourists of the giant panda [Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 The animal is at ease despite the presence of tourists ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ The animal can respond to tourists ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the seventh row header of Question 7.7. 15. Please evaluate the informed consent of the giant panda[Likert Scale] *
1 2 3 4 5 6 Panda give consent to being used as tourist attractions ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Pandas can express to humans their consent to being used as tourist attractions ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ It is possible for humans to recognize if the animal is expressing consent ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Dependent on the first option in the eighth row header of Question 7.8.
Code/software
Excel. SPSS.
Human subjects data
The questionnaire received consent to use the deidentified data in the public domain. All data are anonymized.
Human subjects data
The questionnaire received consent to use the deidentified data in the public domain. All data are anonymized.