3:32pm UK, Sunday May 30, 2010
Tim Hewage, Sky News Online
China has started to build a school to teach captive pandas to survive in the wild.
Head of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Zhang Zhihe, said the 60m million yuan (£6m) centre will be located in Sichuan province's Dujiangyan city.
Bears brought into the centre will be kept in cages for the first few years before being moved to caves where they will be taught foraging skills.
They will still receive frequent checkups and participate in artificial breeding.
Then the pandas will be moved to the more natural forested area with less human contact.
Finally they will be introduced to a nature reserve where it is hoped they will then be able to fend for themselves.
The naturalisation process can take as long as 15 years to complete.
Giant pandas are among the world's most endangered species.
Over 300 pandas are raised in captivity in China while only 1600 remain in the wild.
See video at: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/China-Starts-To-Build-A-Centre-For-Training-Captive-Pandas-To-Survive-In-The-Wild/Article/201005415640681?f=rss
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