Baby panda drowns in Sichuan, flash floods blamed
A wild giant panda cub was found dead in Sichuan Province on Tuesday as the region was hit by torrential rains.
The panda, about 6 months old, was found dead at the Heishuihe Nature Reserve by a worker Tuesday afternoon. A statement sent to the Global Times by the Chengdu Forestry and Garden Bureau on Wednesday said the panda probably died in flash floods.
The panda’s body was sent to the Chengdu wildlife rescue center. Experts were asked to examine her carcass.
Her head and lower jaw had blood stains. Bubbles were found in her lung, and milk and digested bamboo in her stomach. Her spleen was also suffering from a hemorrhage, the statement said.
The death of the panda broke many hearts on the internet.
“She’s still a baby having milk... so heartbreaking,” Lydia, a net user, said.
“Giant pandas cannot watch TV or use cellphones, so they could not receive the flood alert... Hope other pandas could escape following storms,” said another net user.
The bureau has asked relevant departments to improve safety measures and workers in mountainous areas to keep an eye on wild animals.
The Heishuihe Nature Reserve in Chengdu covers about 318 square kilometers and is home to 10 types of first-grade State-protected animals, including giant pandas and snub-nosed monkeys. It also houses 47 types of second-grade State-protected animals, according to Sichuan tourism information center.
Torrential rains triggered an avalanche in Chengdu’s Dege county on Monday, killing four people, the county government said. Local meteorological authorities said the heavy rain, which started on Monday, will last until Thursday.