Researchers to make pandas go wild
Source: Xinhua |
July 5, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PANDA researchers in southwest China's Sichuan Province are planning to send some captive-bred pandas into the wild, hoping the animals will learn to survive and breed without human intervention.
"First we'll release one or two pregnant pandas into the groves in the outer ring of Wolong Nature Reserve before the end of this year," said Zhang Hemin, head of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong.
In the first year, zoologists would keep an eye on the pandas and, if necessary, provide them with food, said Zhang.
"But to simulate a wild environment as much as possible, zoo workers and vets who enter the zone will disguise themselves as pandas by donning a black-and-white fur coat and crawling on the ground," he said. It is hoped the pandas would take them as their peers and not think they were relying on humans for food and protection.
The outer ring, although fenced off, is almost the same as the wilderness, except that Zhang and his colleagues will still be able to know where the pandas are.
"The pandas would give birth in this semi-wild environment and teach their cubs how to forage for food and survive in the wild," he said.
When the training ends in about two years, they will be released into the wild mountain forests outside the enclosed zone.
Zhang, a panda expert who led the way in breeding giant pandas through artificial insemination, said they had short-listed six pregnant pandas at their research base in Ya'an for the project.
"We'll eventually choose just one or two of them - health, temperament and survival skills would be among the main criteria," he said.
Before the end of next year, the pandas are expected to rely solely on themselves for food, he said. "By the end of 2012, the healthy cubs will be released into the wild mountains."
Wolong Nature Reserve was damaged in the May 2008 earthquake and all the pandas were sent to the Ya'an reserve. Rebuilding of the Wolong base was completed this year and its 154 captive-bred pandas - including 31 born in the past two years, are expected to come home soon.
China's plan to save the endangered species by releasing captive-bred pandas back into the wild began in 2003, with Xiang Xiang, a male cub being trained to survive in the wild.
Xiang Xiang was released into the wild in 2006, but found dead 10 months later. He had apparently been attacked by wild pandas.
"First we'll release one or two pregnant pandas into the groves in the outer ring of Wolong Nature Reserve before the end of this year," said Zhang Hemin, head of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong.
In the first year, zoologists would keep an eye on the pandas and, if necessary, provide them with food, said Zhang.
"But to simulate a wild environment as much as possible, zoo workers and vets who enter the zone will disguise themselves as pandas by donning a black-and-white fur coat and crawling on the ground," he said. It is hoped the pandas would take them as their peers and not think they were relying on humans for food and protection.
The outer ring, although fenced off, is almost the same as the wilderness, except that Zhang and his colleagues will still be able to know where the pandas are.
"The pandas would give birth in this semi-wild environment and teach their cubs how to forage for food and survive in the wild," he said.
When the training ends in about two years, they will be released into the wild mountain forests outside the enclosed zone.
Zhang, a panda expert who led the way in breeding giant pandas through artificial insemination, said they had short-listed six pregnant pandas at their research base in Ya'an for the project.
"We'll eventually choose just one or two of them - health, temperament and survival skills would be among the main criteria," he said.
Before the end of next year, the pandas are expected to rely solely on themselves for food, he said. "By the end of 2012, the healthy cubs will be released into the wild mountains."
Wolong Nature Reserve was damaged in the May 2008 earthquake and all the pandas were sent to the Ya'an reserve. Rebuilding of the Wolong base was completed this year and its 154 captive-bred pandas - including 31 born in the past two years, are expected to come home soon.
China's plan to save the endangered species by releasing captive-bred pandas back into the wild began in 2003, with Xiang Xiang, a male cub being trained to survive in the wild.
Xiang Xiang was released into the wild in 2006, but found dead 10 months later. He had apparently been attacked by wild pandas.
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