Fighting lessons for pandas
2007-12-22 14:18
Shanghai - Scientists in China may
use a police dog to teach pandas to fight after the first
artificially bred panda released into the wild was apparently
killed after a battle with other animals, local media reported
on Saturday.
The Wolong giant panda breeding centre plans to have four
pandas raised in captivity live with a specially trained police
dog or other animals, the Chengdu Daily quoted reserve
officials as saying. The officials could not be reached for
comment.
The pandas would learn how to protect themselves by
observing the dog, increasing their chances of survival when
they were eventually released into the mountainous wilds of the
far western province of Sichuan.
The world's first artificially bred panda to be released, a
five-year-old male named Xiang Xiang, was found dead in the snow
early this year after less than 12 months out of captivity.
Scientists believe he fell from a high place after getting
into a fight with wild pandas or other animals over food or
territory.
China is now preparing to release a second batch of up to
four artificially bred pandas. Many or all would be females,
which may be less prone to becoming involved in fights.
Breeding pandas through artificial insemination and
introducing them to the wild is an important part of China's
efforts to save the species, which is now estimated to number
between 1 000 and 2 000 in the wild.
Pandas chosen for release undergo years of training. Adult
pandas need to spend up to 16 hours a day foraging and eating
bamboo and almost all the remaining time resting or sleeping,
making them vulnerable in harsh environments.
To boost captive pandas' low fertility rates and weak
sexual desire, China has even resorted to showing them videos
of other pandas mating.