Wild giant panda caught on camera in southwest China

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A wild giant panda was captured on camera in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County in southwest China's Sichuan Province on December 24. It's the first time a wild panda was spotted outside nature reserves in the county.

The giant panda was found by a villager at around 10 a.m. in Baishui Village. In the video, the panda can be seen hiding its head behind wood, probably because it was shy or scared.

Xiaozhaizigou National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province. /VCG Photo‍

The villager then contacted the nearby Xiaozhaizigou National Nature Reserve. According to staff from Sichuan wildlife resources investigation and protection administration station, the giant panda probably came down from the reserve to forage for food due to the low temperatures in high-altitude areas, or it became lost due to the lack of experience in the wild.

Currently, the reserve staff are keeping a close eye on the giant panda.

Giant pandas mainly live in Sichuan Province, which has the largest population of the animal species, while some can be found in the neighboring Gansu and Shaanxi provinces.

Pandas /VCG Photo

Wild pandas are predominantly threatened by complete loss and fragmentation of their habitats.

This can hinder gene exchange in the population and make wild pandas more susceptible to disease. Climate change, urbanization, and the loss of bamboo forest also pose threats to wild pandas. So far, only fewer than 2,000 giant pandas live in the wild.