I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent at Schönbrunn Zoo’s panda enclosure over recent years. They’ve been endless – but they’ve also been very enjoyable.

I really enjoy taking photos of animals. It is a good way to wind down after my otherwise often stressful job as a photographer. And giant pandas are simply very special animals. Only a few are kept in zoos around the world and they seem so likeable and calm. That’s probably because they sleep half the day. :-)

I still remember when the first cub was born at Schönbrunn Zoo, that was Fu Long. It was such a privilege that the zoo allowed me to take the first photos of Fu Long and the cubs that came after him in the breeding den just after they were born. The experience shaped me somehow and I have loved pandas ever since. Those little black-and-white balls of fur are absolutely fantastic.
I know that the pandas at Schönbrunn have fans all over the world. We want to make this book for them and give them something to really enjoy.