Tourist Passing Through Baoxing County, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province Discovers Incident
Authorities "Consider the Issue Very Seriously"... Autopsy Conducted on the Body
A giant panda carcass, presumed to have drowned, was found by a river in Sichuan Province, China, famously known as the "home of the giant panda."
On the 12th, China's CCTV released footage filmed by tourist Mr. A the previous day, showing what is believed to be the body of a young wild giant panda by the river in Baoxing County, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province.
In the video, the animal presumed to be a panda is lying face down with its head and limbs submerged in water, while its back and hips are exposed above the surface. The riverbank where the video was taken is surrounded by dense forest.
Presumed carcass of a wild giant panda found by the river in Baoxing County, Sichuan Province, China [Image source=Social Networking Service (SNS) capture]
Mr. A reportedly discovered the dead panda while riding a motorcycle with his group nearby. In the video, they can be heard saying, "Look at that. It's a giant panda."
At first, Mr. A thought a puppy had fallen into the water and tried to rescue it, but upon closer inspection, he realized the young giant panda was motionless and dead. Mr. A and his group immediately informed the village committee about the discovery of the panda carcass, and the Baoxing County Forestry Bureau dispatched staff to the scene. However, the exact circumstances have not yet been determined.
The authorities told local media, "We consider this matter very important," and added, "We have instructed all management and protection personnel at the site to support the investigation."
A Baoxing County official stated, "No external injuries were found on the panda's body, and preliminary investigation indicates drowning as the cause of death," adding, "Whether the panda had any illness before drowning will be determined through further autopsy." Currently, experts from the Giant Panda Protection and Research Center are conducting the autopsy on the panda.
On the 3rd of last month, the giant panda 'Fubao' was publicly shown for the last time at Everland Panda World in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do before returning to China. Photo by Joint Press Corps
Sichuan Province is also home to the Wolong Shenshuping Base, where 'Pubao,' a giant panda born in Korea, resides. Baoxing County is known as the "hometown of the panda" because it is where humans first discovered the giant panda, and signs reflecting this fact have been erected in the area.
The global panda population is estimated to be around 2,500, with only about 1,800 living in the wild. Approximately 180 wild pandas inhabit Baoxing County, Sichuan Province. During winter, when food is scarce, or in the spring breeding season, wild pandas in this region sometimes leave the deep forest and roam areas close to human settlements.
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