From AlJazeera.net:
Xiang Xiang, the world’s first lab-bred panda, lasted less than a year living the wild life. The news deals a blow to China’s efforts to save the endangered species.The five-year-old male was found dead on snow-covered ground on February 19, apparently after falling to his death, reports in Chinese state media said.
His body was found in a mountainous area of China’s Sichuan province more than a month after scientists last picked up a trace from the global positioning tracking collar he was wearing, Xinhua news agency said. [Full Text]
See also the Guardian’s photo series on Xiang Xiang.
From the Brisbane Times:
“We are all sad about Xiang Xiang, but it doesn’t mean the project has failed,” said Zhang Hemin, head of the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Centre in Wolong.“The lessons we have learnt from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project.”
An examination showed that the panda had suffered rib fractures and internal damage, Li Desheng, deputy director of the Wolong centre, was quoted as saying.
“Experts speculated that Xiang Xiang might have fallen from a high place after getting into a fight with the original ‘residents’ for food or territory,” Xinhua said. [Full Text]
