The Giant Pandas

Vienna has plenty of rare sights, but perhaps none rarer than the Giant Pandas found in Schönbrunn Zoo.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, there are only about 1600 of these bears left. Most of them are in China, either wild, in reserves or in captivity. A very few (about a dozen) live outside China in zoos, with two now in Vienna.

In 2003, the Chinese government gave "Yang Yang" and "Long Hui" to the Republic of Austria. Actually "loaned" is a better word; the pandas are here for 10 years or more, with the zoo participating in the international panda breeding and research project.

The arrival of the bears was a major event for the country, and saw the outbreak of a veritable pandamania. When the panda enclosure was thrown open to visitors for the first time, half of Vienna descended on the poor creatures.

The post office brought out special panda stamps, the Chancellor welcomed them in person and they featured on TV and radio stations throughout the land.

On the initiative of one national radio station, the two bears were rechristened Sissi and Franzl. The names refer to Emperor Franz Joseph and his famous wife, Elisabeth.

Not that the pandas themselves seem too bothered by the fuss. They are invariably found either sleeping or eating, and view human proceedings with a gentle disdain.

Talking of food, the pandas eat up to 30kg of bamboo a day. Since the plant isn't exactly a major arable crop in Austria, most of the bears' diet is imported from plantations in Southern France, supplemented by a few local sources.

If you do want to see them, you don't need to worry about long queues anymore. Unless you visit the zoo on a hot weekend or public holiday, you should have no trouble at all getting a good view of the animals.