Xiang Xiang (; August 25, 2001 – February 19, 2007) was the first

giant panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes us ...

to be released into the wild after being bred and raised in captivity. Born at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in the

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

Province, Xiang Xiang endured a three-year training regimen intended to equip him with the skills necessary to survive in the wild. Fitted with a radio-collar upon his release in April 2006, the five-year-old male was tracked each month to check his movements and feeding habits. Despite this extensive preparation, Xiang Xiang was found dead less than a year after his release. The

Xinhua News Agency Xinhua News Agency (English pronunciation: )J. C. Wells: Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, 3rd ed., for both British and American English, or New China News Agency, is the official state news agency of the People's Republic of China. Xinhua ...

announced the panda's death May 31, 2007, over three months after the incident occurred, citing "the need for a full investigation" as the reason for the delay. Officials from the Research Center determined that a fall from the trees was the probable cause of death. Scratches on Xiang Xiang's body suggest that he was probably being pursued by other pandas when he fell.

References

Individual giant pandas 2001 animal births 2007 animal deaths {{Zoo-stub