CHINA / Top News
A giant step for pandas in captivity?
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-04-29 07:00
WOLONG, Sichuan Province: Xiang Xiang, a four-year-old giant panda born
in captivity, took a historic step when he walked into the wild in
Wolong, a traditional habitat for the endangered species in Southwest
China's Sichuan Province.
Xiang Xiang, a panda bred in captivity, wanders out of a small cage with
metal bars into the wild as dozens of people smile and clap behind a
fence at Wolong, a traditional habitat for the endangered species, in
Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Friday. Xiang Xiang became the
first-ever human-raised giant panda to be released into the wild.
[newsphoto]
He became the first-ever human-raised giant panda to be released into the
wild, and had to undergo three years of survival training. He will be
monitored through a global positioning device attached to a collar.
Facing his new world, the panda hesitated for a second on Friday then
wandered into bamboo groves 10 metres away.
Xiang Xiang, which means "auspicious," weighs 83 kilograms and is 1.1
metres long.
Watching him leave, Liu Bin, who helped look after him for three years,
turned away with tears in his eyes.
"Xiang Xiang is like my child who has grown up and left the family to
live independently," said Liu. "I hate to part with Xiang Xiang, but I
hope he can survive on his own without forgetting me."
Xiang Xiang eats 8 kilograms of bamboo shoots a day as well as such
things as corn buns and milk, according to Liu.
Born into the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Centre in Wolong
in 2001, Xiang Xiang was selected from more than 100 giant pandas bred in
captivity for natural habitat training, mostly because he was strong and
healthy, said experts.
He learned how to build a den, forage for food and mark his territory,
and developed defensive skills by howling and biting, said Zhang Hemin,
head of the panda research centre.
Zhang said they chose to release Xiang Xiang now because in late April
his favourite food, bamboo shoots, are sprouting.
Xiang Xiang faces many challenges, one of which is parasitic infection,
said Zhou Xiaoping, deputy chief engineer at the centre.
Page: 1 2
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Today's Top News
� Pay rises by 16% for State sector workers
� Deal signed to search for oil in Kenya
� A giant step for pandas in captivity?
� Fighter jet takes off to new heights
� China raises bank lending rate to slow investment
Top China News
� Health official denies bird flu cover-up
� China hikes rates in a step to slow racing economy
� Chinese govt moves to cool economic growth
� New partnership needed in new era
� 28 'idle' doctoral students expelled
Learn Chinese
No comments:
Post a Comment