Panda Released Into the Wild Attacked by Wild Animals, Dies

Mar 31, 2017 01:10 PM EDT

(Photo : GETTY IMAGES) Let's hope this one doesn't die: The State Forestry Administration and Sichuan provincial people's Government released 3-year-old female giant panda 'Hua Yan' and 2-year-old female giant panda 'Zhang Meng' into the wild at the Liziping National Nature Reserve in October 2016 in Ya'an.

The endangered giant panda community lost another individual as one male panda was found to have been mauled by wild animals.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding said on Friday that Hesheng, a giant panda bred in captivity, died in September 2016 two months after he was released into the wild in Sichuan Province.

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Autopsy reports revealed that Hesheng died of septicemia due to a bacterial infection. He was attacked by unknown animals.

On September 11, 2016, Hesheng was still spotted roaming some 3.5 kilometers away from where he was released. But on September 27, his GPS collar sent an alarm to the research base which immediately started a search for the male panda.

Hesheng's limp body was found with injuries on his right shoulder, right ear, and right hind limb. He was born in 2013 and underwent training at the Liziping Nature Reserve from March 2016 until his release to the wild in July of the same year.

The male panda, born in 2013, had undergone training at Liziping Nature Reserve from March 2016 and was released into the wild in July.

TagsPanda, cute pandas, Giant Panda, giant panda endangered, Chengdu Research base, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Dead giant panda, Hesheng, panda in the wild