In a heartwarming discovery, infrared cameras have captured footage of a four-month-old wild giant panda cub and its mother in the Baiyang Nature Reserve, located in Songpan County, southwest China's Sichuan Province.
This marks the first time a panda cub of this age has been spotted in the Baiyang Nature Reserve. The footage, recorded on February 28, shows an adult female panda gracefully crossing the screen, closely followed by her curious cub who crawls forward with its short legs, seemingly cautious about staying close to its mother.
Another intriguing sighting occurred on March 2, when the mother panda appeared first, with the cub following her path and venturing into the forest from the upper right corner of the screen. These rare glimpses offer invaluable insights into the lives of these elusive creatures.
The cameras, installed by the county's forestry and grassland bureau, aim to monitor and protect wild animals within the reserve. Bureau staff regularly patrol the forests, collecting and analyzing footage to track animal movements and behaviors.
After careful analysis, including the comparison of camera locations, recording times, and the pandas' activities and habitats, officials confirmed that the footage captured the same mother and cub pair.
According to wildlife experts, nearly half of all panda births result in twins, but it is uncommon for both cubs to survive in the wild. Typically, the mother selects one cub to nurse and raise, and once the cub reaches one and a half years old, it is encouraged to live independently.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
