Infrared cameras capture images of wild giant panda sub-adult twins. Photo courtesy of Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau
Chengdu, December 17 (Anyuan Longtingting) Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau announced on the 17th that a pair of wild giant panda sub-adult twins of infrared camera shooting pictures and videos, this is the first time that Sichuan Wolong has taken images of sub-adult wild giant panda twins.
According to Shi Xiaogang, director of the Mujiangping Conservation Station in Wolong Nature Reserve, the image of sub-adult wild giant panda twins was captured by the bureau's infrared cameras in the Niutou Mountain area of Wolong, Sichuan province in July this year, showing two wild giant pandas about 2 years old and similar in size playing under trees next to the cold arrow bamboo forest in Niutou Mountain at an altitude of 3,100 meters.
Wang Pengyan, a professor-level senior engineer at the Wolong Conservation Area Management Bureau, analyzed that according to the preliminary judgment of the image, it is inclined to be a pair of sub-adult wild giant panda twins. From the perspective of behavior, the relationship between the two giant pandas in the video, the way the childhood pandas play, is more like two sub-adults. From the appearance point of view, the two giant pandas in the photo have a relatively long snout, which is a typical feature of childhood pandas, and there is a clear difference between adult pandas, and it is estimated that the age is more than 2 years old, which should be a giant panda born in the summer of 2017.
Wild pandas usually give birth to twins, but almost only one survives, while the other is abandoned, how did this rare pair grow up? In this regard, Wang Pengyan believes, "First of all, Wolong's rich resources have enough food for the mother panda to raise two cubs to grow up. Secondly, most panda mothers will abandon one because they do not have the energy to raise one more. In addition to having a strong motherhood, this panda that chooses to bring two pandas is another very important condition that its nest is suitable. In Wolong, the panda is the use of tree holes to breed young, if you happen to encounter a tight space cave, just enough to accommodate the next female panda, it can put two cubs on the belly, hold in the arms for a long time, because there is no gap, the cubs will not slip to the ground, both breastfeeding and warmth can also work hard for their defecation, so relatively easy and good conditions, prompting the twins to be rarely brought alive. ”
It is understood that Wolong is the birthplace of giant panda scientific research, while Wolong is also an important part of the giant panda national park, since last year, the local organization of a new round of giant panda field investigation, in the process of this work, whether it is researchers in the wild, or infrared camera records, have photographed a lot of giant panda cubs, which shows that the giant panda in the survival and reproduction of the situation is better, but also shows that the wolong protection effect is more significant. Since last year, Wolong has carried out a new round of giant panda surveys, and the staff of the reserve has conducted a comprehensive mapping of the giant panda resources in the area through sample line monitoring and infrared trigger camera technology, and found the image in the latest recovery data. The infrared trigger camera captures the moving images of wild giant panda sub-adult twins, which is of great significance, which not only shows the effective conservation of natural resources in Wolong, Sichuan, but also provides valuable information for giant panda experts to further study the natural breeding of wild giant pandas in the Qionglai Mountains.
Duan Zhaogang, secretary of the party committee of the Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, said that the infrared camera recorded a pair of wild giant panda sub-adult twins, which is also an important result of Wolong's field investigation. In the next step, Wolong will further accelerate the field investigation of wild giant pandas, and will further optimize the sample line survey route of wild giant pandas, and further do a good job in the protection of giant pandas and their habitats. (End)