World's only captive brown panda meets public in China's Shaanxi

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Photo taken on May 28, 2021 shows brown giant panda Qizai at a newly opened science park dedicated to the protection of wild animals in Zhouzhi County of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Covering an area of 28 hectares, the science park started trial operation on Friday. The facility features four rare wild animal species living in the Qinling Mountains, namely the giant panda, the crested ibis, the golden monkey and the takin. Also available are over 20 other animal species native to the Qinling Mountains as well as Qizai, the world's only captive brown giant panda. [Photo by Li Yibo/Xinhua]

The world's only captive brown giant panda, nicknamed "Qi Zai," met the public for the first time on Friday, during the trial operation of a science park in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Covering an area of over 28 hectares, the science park is located in Zhouzhi County at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains. It aims to protect and popularize four rare animal species of the mountains, namely giant panda, crested ibis, golden monkey and takin.

The world's first brown panda was discovered in 1985 in the Qinling Mountains. All recorded photographs of wild brown pandas were taken in the area.

The Qinling giant panda is a subspecies of giant panda first recognized in 2005. It has a smaller and rounder skull, shorter snout and less fur than the more familiar Sichuan subspecies.

According to panda experts, brown pandas could be the result of genetic mutations or atavism and further study is needed on the topic.