Ba Xi (八喜/Baxi)’s journey from a playful cub to a wild adventurer is a true marvel! Born on July 26, 2015, and raised in the scenic Wolong Walnut Flat Wild Training Base, he embarked on an intensive training program that taught him how to survive in the wild. After mastering essential skills, Ba Xi was released into the Sichuan Liziping Nature Reserve in 2017, marking a significant step in giant panda conservation – demonstrating that these incredible creatures can thrive on their own!
Basic Information
- Name: Ba Xi (八喜)
- Meaning of the Name: Eight Kinds of Happiness
- Lineage Number: 956
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: July 26, 2015
- Birthplace: Wolong Walnut Flat Wild Training Base, China
- Mother: Xi Mei (喜妹)
- Father: Lu Lu (芦芦)
- Siblings: Chun Chun (春春), Hui Hui (回回), Tao Tao (淘淘), Si Jia (思嘉), Yin Ke (银柯), Zheng Zheng (正正), Hui Hui (辉辉), Hao Yue (皓月), Xi Yue (喜悦), Xi Le (喜乐)
Growth and Wild Training
Ba Xi grew up at the Wolong Walnut Flat Wild Training Base, where his mother, Xi Mei, provided excellent maternal care and a nurturing environment. Starting in 2016, Ba Xi underwent two phases of wild training. In the first phase, he learned essential skills such as walking independently, climbing, and finding shelter. The second phase involved following his mother in a designated wild training area on Tian Tai Mountain, where he honed his foraging abilities, habitat selection, and predator recognition skills, gradually adapting to a natural environment.
After more than two years of rigorous wild training, Ba Xi successfully completed all the training modules, mastering vital survival skills like independent foraging, locating water sources, and effectively avoiding danger. By the time of his release, he weighed 70 kilograms (having been 65 kilograms during the pre-release health check) and measured 107 centimeters in length, with all physiological indicators showing normal values.
Release into the Wild
Release Date: November 23, 2017
Release Location: Sichuan Liziping Nature Reserve
Release Companion: Ba Xi was released alongside a female giant panda named Ying Xue (映雪), marking the second instance globally where two pandas were released together.
Behaviors after Release: In the wild, Ba Xi prefers solitary activities and excels at climbing trees and finding comfortable resting spots. He typically roams during the early morning and evening, while spending the day resting in tree hollows or thick grass.
Significance of Release: Ba Xi’s release represents a significant achievement for the giant panda conservation research center’s wild release program. This initiative plays a crucial role in bolstering local panda populations and promoting the species’ overall reproduction.
