Panda pair survive first snow in wild

CHENGDU -- A giant panda pair released into the wild a month ago have survived their first winter snow, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda said on Tuesday.

As part of a program to restore the wild panda population, male panda Ba Xi and the female Ying Xue, both born in 2015 and bred in captivity, were released into Liziping Nature Reserve in Southwest China's Sichuan province in November.

The animals were equipped with radio monitoring equipment to track them and collect data on how they adapt to the natural environment.

According to the center, Ba Xi and Ying Xue did not stay together after being released.

Ying Xue started moving toward higher altitudes on the first day, while Ba Xi stayed near the area where he was released. Both appeared to have adapted well to the wild, according to experts at the center.

However, the pair have not yet encountered wild giant pandas and are still adjusting to the new environment in the winter, and the center will continue its close monitoring of the pair in the wild, said the experts.