Panda cubs to be trained for survival in the wild

A panda cub and its mother in semi-wild area in Wenchuan county, Jan 27. Mothers will teach three cubs who will be released into the wild on how to find food and climb trees in the semi-wild area while breeders will play a secondary role. [Photo/CFP]

"Their mothers will teach them how to find food and water and climb trees. Researchers will play a secondary role by providing the mothers with food when bamboo is scarce, and they will monitor the mothers and cubs," said Zhang Guiquan, deputy chief of the center.

To minimize the impact of humans on the cubs, researchers wear black-and-white costumes when providing physical checkups. They used to teach cubs how to survive in the wild. It took a lot of time and energy, but results were minimal.

Zhang Hemin, the center's chief, said, "Panda mothers are much better teachers than humans, because they have an innate knowledge of what to do in the field."