VIDEO

VIDEO

Preparing Pandas for the Wild

Preparing Pandas for the Wild

Wolong Panda Center carefully trains young pandas to one day live in the wild.

Grades

5 - 12

Subjects

Conservation, Ecology

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English Transcript:

- [Narrator] Deep in the wild is an unusual place where some of Pan Pan's family are destined for a bright future. Wolong Panda Center is set within 200,000 hectares of nature reserve, surrounded by mountains. It's about as wild as you can get. Here, toads cross the road, spiders set traps, and pandas send each other texts. At two years old, baby pandas are honing wild skills away from prying eyes. They are learning all there is to know about life in the wild, and for the keepers to work with them, they have to blend in. It may look like an animal superhero convention, but the costumes are necessary. Baby pandas here are raised without ever knowing what people look like, so that once released, they stay away from humans. Pregnant females from other centers are brought here to give birth. It is those babies that are candidates for later release. Babies learn to live naturally in semi-wild enclosures. Learning new smells is part of their education, and large trees strengthen growing muscles. Mum is on hand for the first two years of their life until they are mature enough to fend for themselves. Only then are they released into the adjoining wild reserve. They're not released entirely unsupported, though. Radio collars are fitted to monitor their progress. Where do they go? How far do they travel? Have they stopped moving? All valuable information that helps the team decide whether to step in or not. Their first release in 2006 sadly failed, and subsequent ones have had varying degrees of success. Some are living wild again, so the work is slowly paying off. This new generation of panda babies could be the most successful yet. Some have waited a long time. They are itching to go back to the wild.

Spanish Transcript:

- [Narrador] En lo profundo de la naturaleza hay un lugar inusual donde algunos de los familiares de Pan Pan están destinados a un futuro prometedor. El Centro de Pandas de Wolong está ubicado dentro de 200,000 hectáreas de reserva natural, rodeado de montañas. Es tan salvaje como se puede imaginar. Aquí, los sapos cruzan el camino, las arañas colocan trampas, y los pandas se envían mensajes de texto. A los dos años de edad, los pandas bebés están perfeccionando habilidades salvajes lejos de miradas curiosas. Están aprendiendo todo lo que necesitan saber sobre la vida en la naturaleza, y para que los cuidadores trabajen con ellos, tienen que camuflarse. Puede parecer una convención de superhéroes animales, pero los disfraces son necesarios. Los pandas bebés aquí se crían sin saber jamás cómo lucen las personas, para que una vez liberados, se mantengan alejados de los humanos. Hembras embarazadas de otros centros son traídas aquí para dar a luz. Son esos bebés los que son candidatos para su liberación posterior. Los bebés aprenden a vivir de forma natural en recintos semi-salvajes. Aprender nuevos olores es parte de su educación, y los árboles grandes fortalecen los músculos en crecimiento. La madre está presente durante los dos primeros años de vida hasta que son lo suficientemente maduros para valerse por sí mismos. Solo entonces son liberados en la reserva natural adyacente. Sin embargo, no se les libera completamente sin apoyo. Se les colocan collares de radio para monitorear su progreso. ¿A dónde van? ¿Qué tan lejos viajan? ¿Han dejado de moverse? Toda esa información es valiosa y ayuda al equipo a decidir si deben intervenir o no. Su primera liberación en 2006, lamentablemente, fracasó, y las siguientes han tenido distintos niveles de éxito. Algunos están viviendo nuevamente en estado salvaje, así que el trabajo está dando frutos poco a poco. Esta nueva generación de pandas bebés podría ser la más exitosa hasta ahora. Algunos han esperado mucho tiempo. Están ansiosos por regresar a la naturaleza.

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Last Updated

August 4, 2025

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