Artificial intervention hindering panda survival(2)

SELECT QUALIFIED ONE

The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda generally selects two to three captive-bred panda cubs to join a 26-month mother-cub pre-release training program.

Only one of the trained cubs will qualify for release. The panda has to behave consistently like a wild animal, be able to forage, and have developed normally.

When the qualified "candidate" has adapted to the wild environment in the primary stage and has gained survival skills, he or she can be introduced into the wild, according to Huang.

A successful giant panda reintroduction consists of three major steps. Firstly, the selected panda cub should live in the wild and feed on its own for at least one year. Secondly, it is able to establish its territories and find a mate. Thirdly, it should breed offspring after being released.

If a released panda fails to have offspring, the reintroduction plan is considered a failure, Huang said.

Zhang Xiang is likely to mate with wild pandas, researchers said.

REINTRODUCTION PLAN

There are 376 captive-bred pandas worldwide, indicating that a sustainable healthy panda population has been established.

China will continue to train individual panda cubs using the mother-cub process to release more pandas into the wild while establishing small wild populations, said Zhang Hemin.

Reintroduction patterns will come in different forms, consisting of releasing trained cubs only, the mother and cub together, as well as the release of pregnant pandas.

Further research and discussion on the release method is necessary and more money to support the research is needed, according to Zhang.

Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. About 1,600 of the animals live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan, while more than 300 live in captivity.