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Join Wild Chronicles on a trek to China, where decades of hard work lead to a first-time event: the release of a captive-bred giant panda into the wild. High in the mountains of China's Sichuan Province, nothing about this project is easy. If the release is successful, it could signal a new chapter in panda conservation.
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How many giant pandas live in the wild?
Only about 1,600 giant pandas live in the wild, making them an endangered species.
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How many giant pandas live in zoos and nature centers?
About 180 pandas live in zoos and nature centers all over the world.
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Xiang Xiang is a giant panda that was kept in a unique, semi-wild enclosure for three years, before being released into the wild. According to Hemin, the biologist, what skills did Xiang Xiang learn in the enclosure?
Xiang Xiang learned "how to choose the best food, the best habitat, and how to avoid predators."
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What is the biggest threat to giant pandas in the wild?
Habitat loss due to human development is the biggest threat to giant pandas.
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How do conservationists propose to address this threat?
Some conservationists and researchers propose creating "green corridors" to link different panda populations.
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Term Part of Speech Definition Encyclopedic Entry captive breeding Noun reproduction of rare species controlled by humans in a closed environment, such as a zoo.
conservation Noun management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect.
Encyclopedic Entry: conservation decade Noun 10 years.
mountain Noun landmass that forms as tectonic plates interact with each other.
province Noun division of a country larger than a town or county.
Encyclopedic Entry: province
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Editor
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Producers
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Nina Page, National Geographic Society
Last Updated
Aug. 23, 2011
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