Panda House : Qatar’s Giant Panda Sanctuary

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Panda House at Al Khor Park is the Middle East’s first dedicated giant panda facility, situated within the expansive Al Khor Family Park. This state-of-the-art sanctuary is specially designed to provide a safe and comfortable habitat for its residents, featuring climate-controlled enclosures, lush greenery, and bamboo gardens that mimic the pandas’ natural environment. Visitors can observe the pandas as they play, eat bamboo, and interact in their enriched habitat, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of these endangered animals.

Qatar is home to the Middle East’s first-ever giant panda facility, welcoming two pandas from China

Key Attractions and Activities

Panda Enclosure

Bamboo Gardens

Temperature-Controlled

Indoor Viewing

Educational Displays

Play Area

Gift Shop

Opened in 2022, Panda House hosts Suhail and Thuraya, a playful male and curious female panda gifted from China to Qatar. Their home features temperature-controlled indoor habitats, bamboo gardens, swimming pools, and large viewing galleries for visitors. With engaging educational displays, a children’s play area, and a coffee spot on the upper floor, the Panda House is a must-visit wildlife destination. Visitors experience Qatar’s commitment to conservation while enjoying lush landscaping and family-friendly amenities in one of the region’s most advanced animal habitats.

FEATURES STATE-OF-THE-ART TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED ENCLOSURES AND INDOOR VIEWING DECKS

Panda Enclosure

The Panda House includes one of the largest panda enclosures in the world, specially designed to match the pandas’ natural habitat in Sichuan, China. Key features are temperature-controlled rooms, swimming pools, climbing platforms, and interactive bamboo gardens. The layout is divided into Male Panda Garden and Female Panda Garden, each closely resembling their native environment for health and comfort.

Indoor Viewing & Educational Displays

Visitors can observe the pandas through large glass panels in the air-conditioned viewing galleries or from the balcony above. The educational zones and signage offer fun facts about panda biology, conservation, and the cultural story behind Suhail and Thuraya’s arrival, promoting environmental awareness.

Coffee Spot & Amenities

A coffee café on the top floor offers refreshments and picturesque views of the panda gardens. Modern facilities, including accessible restrooms, shaded seating, and wide walking paths, make visits relaxing for families and tourists.

Panda Pools and Nursery

The habitat includes specialized pools for the pandas, maintained by advanced water filtration systems. There are also facilities for medical care and a future nursery, ensuring world-class animal welfare standards.

Arrival of the Pandas

Panda House in Al Khor Park represents a milestone in wildlife diplomacy and conservation for both Qatar and the wider Middle East. In May 2020, Qatar signed a cooperation agreement with China to host giant pandas as a symbol of friendship and deepening bilateral relations. On October 18, 2022, two pandas—male Suhail (Jing Jing) and female Thuraya (Si Hai)—arrived in Qatar from China’s Sichuan panda base. They underwent quarantine and acclimatization before their public debut, which aligned with the opening days of the FIFA World Cup. Panda House is the first and only giant panda facility in the Middle East, turning Qatar into the 20th country globally to host these rare animals.