BEIJING: The world’s only captive brown giant panda, Qi Zai, made its public debut in late May, during the trial operation of a science park in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Twelve years ago, it was found as a weak and neglected cub in a national nature reserve in Foping County, Hanzhong City of the province. The county, located at the southern foot of the Qinling Mountains, makes for a first-rate habitat for giant pandas because of its temperate and climate. Forest coverage exceeds 90 percent, with ubiquitous lush vegetation and rich flora and fauna species.
The world’s first brown panda was discovered in 1985 in the Qinling Mountains, and ever since that moment, all photographs of wild brown pandas on record were taken in that very area. Experts think that the different color could be the result of a genetic mutation or atavism. Pu Zhiyong, a panda caregiver at the Foping Panda Valley, told Beijing Review that Qi Zai has been roaming the valley for three years now, and is known for being gentle, funny and adorable.
The Qinling giant panda was recognized as a subspecies of the giant panda in 2005. It has a smaller and rounder skull, a shorter snout and less fur than the more familiar Sichuan subspecies, he said.
In 2009, the government established the Qinling Wild Panda Training Base in the reserve to feed panda cubs and provide them with essential survival training so that more giant pandas can be released into the wild.
On May 20, a giant panda was released into the wild at the Foping National Nature Reserve while wearing a satellite-enabled positioning collar to monitor its condition.
According to government data, there are more than 130 pandas living in the reserve, and their population is steadily increasing. Around 345 giant pandas live in the wild in the Qinling Mountains, making it the area with the highest panda population density in China.
– The Daily Mail-Beijing Review News exchange item
