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Tuesday, 7 November 2006
Until recently not all scientists believed that Giant Pandas are bears.
But DNA testing seems to show that they are. Well, besides being bears they're also endangered, so many are born in captivity. The big question is: can captive born pandas survive in the wild. Recently some researchers set off to find out.
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: They're cute, they're cuddly and because they're one of the most endangered animals on the planet, most people only ever see them in zoos like this.
But today Mark is playing hide and seek with a Panda living in the wild. This is China's Wolong Reserve in Sichuan Provence, home to most of the world's last 1600 wild pandas.
It's about the size of the ACT. And today we're searching for one special panda called Xiang Xiang. He is the world's first captive born panda to be released into the wild. And researchers want to know how he's doing.
Fortunately Xiang Xiang is wearing a special collar with a transmitter, which will help to find him in this huge area.
Farming and logging has dramatically reduced the Panda habitat and population. Pandas used to roam throughout this area... in the past two hundred years its shrunk to just this.
To help increase panda numbers research centres like this one have been set up. The 50 residents get celebrity treatment: Eighteen kilograms of fresh bamboo to eat each day, a cleaner to clear out lots of poo and lots of attention from tourists.
AMERICAN TOURIST: Never thought I would pat a panda in my life. It's wonderful.
HUAN JINYAN, GUIDE: Panda eats bamboo here...
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: But male pandas living in captivity are not very interested in the females. And that means no babies. So Pandas need help in getting pregnant and caring for their cubs.
And it's working.
WU SHANGIU: We're not zookeepers, we are more like panda mothers. When pandas give birth, we monitor them around the clock.
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: The panda baby boom means that scientists can release some of the adults into the wild.
LIU BIN, RESEARCHER: Watch your step
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: Researcher Liu Bin raised Xiang Xiang in captivity and is keen to see how he's surviving in the wild. They're picking up a signal from Xiang Xiang's collar he must be close.
HUAN JINYAN, GUIDE: Panda eats bamboo here.
MARK HORSTMAN, REPORTER: By analysing the DNA in panda poo, they reckon that the population is not 1600 as they estimate now; it could be 3300, more than double.
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: That's great news.
Suddenly the signal gets stronger
LIU BIN, RESEARCHER: Stay back; stay back!
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: Xiang Xiang may live in the wild but he remembers his friend Liu Bin and seems to have missed him.
LIU BIN, RESEARCHER: If he attacks he can cause permanent damage.
KRISTA ELEFTHERIOU, REPORTER: He is a wild animal and he doesn't know Mark. But he makes friends fast and when it's time to leave. Xiang Xiang won't let go! This gives a whole new meaning to bear hug!
Finally Mark escapes. With Xiang Xiang surviving well in the wild, more captive born pandas will soon join him and hopefully re-build the wild population.