Panda Ying Xue: Back to the Wild

Panda Ying Xue

Meet Ying Xue (映雪), a captivating female giant panda born on July 12, 2015, at the Walnut Flat Wild Training Base of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center. Her remarkable journey from a nurturing upbringing to her successful reintroduction into the wild highlights the dedication to panda conservation and the challenges they face in their natural habitats.

Basic Information

  • Chinese Name: Ying Xue (映雪)
  • Date of Birth: July 12, 2015
  • Gender: Female
  • Lineage Number: 955
  • Birthplace: Walnut Flat Wild Training Base, China
  • Father: Bai Yang (白杨)
  • Mother: Si Xue (思雪)
  • Siblings: Xue Xue (雪雪), Xue Bao (雪宝)

Growth and Wild Training

First-Phase Training: Ying Xue spent her early years in a semi-wild environment, where her experienced mother, Si Xue, taught her essential survival skills, including climbing trees, foraging for food, and avoiding dangers. This nurturing atmosphere was crucial for her development.

Second-Phase Training: In December 2016, Ying Xue transitioned to the second phase of wild training, which took place at an altitude of 2,500 to 2,800 meters in a 300,000-square-meter training area. Over the course of more than six months, she honed her abilities to forage independently, locate water sources, and effectively evade threats. By May 2017, Ying Xue was ready to live independently after separating from her mother.

Release into the Wild

Evaluation: To prepare for her return to nature, a panel of experts convened on November 9, 2017, in Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province, to evaluate Ying Xue’s readiness for release. The experts concluded that she had developed the necessary survival skills and physical health to thrive in the wild. They recommended that she be released into a suitable environment as soon as possible.

Back to the Wild: On November 23, 2017, Ying Xue was officially released into the wild alongside a male giant panda named Ba Xi (八喜) at the Liziping Nature Reserve in Sichuan. This event was historic, as she became the eighth giant panda released under China’s wild release program and the second instance globally of two pandas being released simultaneously. At the time of her release, Ying Xue weighed 59 kilograms and measured 89 centimeters in length.

Life After Release

To monitor her activities and movements, researchers equipped Ying Xue with a collar that transmitted radio signals. This collar allowed scientists to track her location and behavior, providing valuable data to better understand her post-release life and survival challenges.

On April 13, 2018, Ying Xue was first spotted in the Menghuo City Scenic Area of Shimen County, marking a significant moment for conservation efforts. Subsequent radio monitoring and DNA analysis by the Liziping National Nature Reserve Administration confirmed that this panda was indeed Ying Xue, successfully integrating back into her natural habitat.