May 18. According to a report published on Xinhuanet, China's Forestry Bureau has announced that five staff at Sichuan Province's Wolong Nature Reserve died as a result of Monday's (May 12) earthquake. The bureau also stated that three of the reserve's 63 pandas are missing.

The condition of the remaining pandas, including Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan who are to be presented to Taiwan, is basically stable, according to the bureau.

The quake badly damaged buildings in the reserve, including 14 panda enclosures.

The fate of giant pandas at the Wolong Nature Reserve has been a matter of public concern since the 8.0 magnitude quake struck on May 12, ravaging southwest China's Sichuan Province.

According to reports received yesterday, the reserve is running out of the specialized food pandas require as well as medical and other supplies. An initial delivery of aid from the National Forestry Bureau and the Sichuan Forestry department arrived at the reserve last night and a second shipment has already been dispatched.

(China.org.cn by Xiang Bin and John Sexton, May 18, 2008)