Pandas’ intimate moment recorded at Gansu reserve

LANZHOU — A moment of rare intimacy between wild giant pandas was captured by an infrared camera in a nature reserve in Gansu province, the reserve administration said.

The video clip was recorded in April last year during the panda mating season, but was only recently discovered by staff members at Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve as they were organizing camera data from last year.

It showed two pandas gazing into each other’s eyes and touching each other’s cheeks intimately.

“Pandas are known as ‘lone rangers’ in the forest. It’s hard to see two pandas together not fighting,” said He Liwen, director of the reserve administration’s giant panda management office. He said they were probably mating.

In 2018, 700 infrared cameras were placed around the reserve. They have provided more than 8,350 video clips and 15,800 pictures of wild animals, including pandas, takins and golden monkeys.

Researchers had basically mastered the information related to wildlife activities and population distribution, He said.

Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve is one of the largest wild panda habitats in China. Of the 132 wild pandas in Gansu, 110 live in the reserve. Giant pandas are endangered and live mainly in the mountains of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces.