RedjackRyan
04-28-2006, 12:58 PM
BEIJING -- China's efforts to preserve giant pandas has taken a giant leap forward.
For the first time, a panda bred in captivity in China has been released into the wild.
Four-year-old Xiang Xiang was raised in the Giant Panda Research Center in Sichuan province.
The government news agency said he was specifically trained to survive in the wild. He knows how to mark his territory, build a den and forage for food.
Panda keepers chose to release him now because bamboo shoots, his favorite food, are sprouting and will be easy to get.
As he was released, the panda wandered off into a nearby forest.
Xiang Xiang is not completely on his own. Humans will be keeping close watch on his progress through a global positioning device.
For the first time, a panda bred in captivity in China has been released into the wild.
Four-year-old Xiang Xiang was raised in the Giant Panda Research Center in Sichuan province.
The government news agency said he was specifically trained to survive in the wild. He knows how to mark his territory, build a den and forage for food.
Panda keepers chose to release him now because bamboo shoots, his favorite food, are sprouting and will be easy to get.
As he was released, the panda wandered off into a nearby forest.
Xiang Xiang is not completely on his own. Humans will be keeping close watch on his progress through a global positioning device.