The Mianzhu area of the Giant Panda National Park features rugged peaks, steep cliffs, and traverses the Longmen Mountain range, crossing several seismic fault lines. It is a remote haven for wildlife. Since 2020, this area has captured images of national key protected wildlife such as giant pandas, Sichuan golden monkeys, and tufted deer, engaged in nurturing their young. The continuous increase in wildlife populations reflects the effectiveness of Mianzhu’s ecological conservation and habitat restoration efforts over the years and serves as strong evidence of the rich biodiversity and growing wildlife populations in the area.
What does a typical day look like for these wild animals as they care for their young? What are the unique aspects of their parenting behaviors? Let’s take a closer look.
Giant Pandas: Using Their Bellies as Cradles and Teaching Survival Skills
In May 2020, in the deep mountains of Sanjiang Village, Guangji Town, two adorable wild giant pandas appeared on an infrared camera. One panda was strolling leisurely through the bamboo forest, while the other followed closely, showcasing a charming and loving appearance. This was the first time that the Mianzhu area captured footage of a wild panda mother and her cub together.
“Newborn panda cubs are very small and fragile, requiring their mother’s care and protection. The mother panda wraps the cub in her body, creating a warm nest and using her belly as a cradle,” explained Lin Lihong, Deputy Director of the Mianzhu Management Station of Giant Panda National Park. Wild panda cubs typically leave their mothers to live independently around 1.5 to 2 years of age. During this time, the mother teaches the cub essential survival skills to prepare them for independent life.
Since the continued development of the Giant Panda National Park from 2019, the Mianzhu area has captured footage of wild giant pandas for six consecutive years. Combining this new footage with previous observations of behaviors such as “subadult perineal gland marking” and “looking up,” it is evident that the conservation efforts for the panda population in the Mianzhu area have been very successful, with the panda population thriving and expanding.
Sichuan Golden Monkeys: Mutual Care Within the Group and “Aunties” Helping with Cubs
Recently, while organizing infrared camera data for the first half of 2024, staff from the Mianzhu Management Station discovered footage of Sichuan golden monkeys caring for their young. The footage authentically records the daily lives of these monkeys.
In May 2024, a video captured a scene where an adult Sichuan golden monkey carefully jumped onto a rock, surveyed the surroundings, and called out to its companions. Several other golden monkeys followed, and two baby golden monkeys clung to their mother’s belly, looking incredibly cute.
Sichuan golden monkeys are social animals that live in groups, taking care of one another and relying on each other. They exhibit collective care behaviors, where “aunties” help care for the young, allowing the mother to eat and provide more milk. The “aunties” compete to take care of the cubs, and the baby monkeys also attend a “nursery” where they play and learn survival skills together.
Tufted Deer and Tufted Deer: Single Parenting and “Nursery” for Young Deer
In November 2023, the Mianzhu area captured images of a tufted deer herd caring for their young. The footage showed the deer walking leisurely in the snow and foraging in a heartwarming scene. Unlike previous observations, this time the deer were accompanied by their young. In another video, an adult tufted deer and a young tufted deer were seen together, with the young one exploring and playing around.
Tufted deer are social animals that prefer to be active during the early morning and dusk. They move in a disciplined manner, with strong males leading the group and females and fawns in the middle. Young fawns also have a “nursery” where they are cared for by “aunties,” allowing the mothers to forage and engage in other activities.
Other Wildlife: New Footage of Asian Black Bears and Tibetan Macaques
“This year, the infrared cameras in the Mianzhu area also captured various ‘parenting’ activities of wildlife such as the Asian black bear and the Tibetan macaque, each with distinct characteristics. The images and videos show the animals in a natural and relaxed state, indicating their satisfaction with the environment,” Lin Lihong explained. Currently, there are five wild giant pandas in the Mianzhu area, along with 14 other national Class I key protected wildlife species and 34 national Class II key protected wildlife species. With the continued improvement of the ecological environment, more wildlife are finding ample space to thrive, making the Mianzhu area a true paradise for harmonious coexistence.
