How to grow pandas in Sichuan province

Photographer Amy Vitale, along with a team of PBS and National Geographic Television visited the mountainous Sichuan province, to tell me how grown pandas that will be released at will.

Panda remains a long-standing symbol of China, but at the same time, it is a rare species which is on the verge of extinction. Because of the long extermination of these animals and a sharp reduction in the area of their habitat in the world there are about 1,600 pandas. Specialists in environmental protection years of trying to increase the population of these adorable black and white bears. In 2005 scientists from the National reserve Wolong in China for the sake of the experiment were released into the wild a young male Panda, but he soon died, most likely, the result of a fight with wild pandas. It was then that the reserve Director Zhang Hemin, who was nicknamed Papa Panda and his team realized that born in captivity, the animals really don't know how to be pandas. Then it was decided to remake the entire program from scratch.

Chinese experts have decided that the best way to raise pandas suitable for life in the wild — is to erase all traces of human presence from their world and allow mothers to raise their offspring independently.

Born in captivity Panda in a basket preparing to move out of the building at the breeding centre in Sichuan province, China.

14 Panda cubs on a blanket in the centre for breeding and research pandas.

Worker center lucky bamboo to the pandas, which are prepared for life in the wild. Park Rangers have to dress in Panda costumes so that they don't see the person before their release into the wild.

Caretakers in suits trying to lure pandas Panda Yun Tao in a box to move it to another aviary reserve.

14-year-old Panda named Her with her cub. The mother was born in captivity and her cub are prepared for release into the wild in a few years.

Her cub, who is only a month old.

The Panda costumes are hanging in the National reserve Wolong. All employees of the reserve, interacting with the pandas, which are prepared for life in the wild, have to wear Panda costumes.

The caretaker dressed as a Panda in a cage. The inhabitant of the cage at the back.

Zhang Hemin and other supervisors waiting for the Panda out of the cage.

Zhang Xian — year-old Panda, born in captivity, released into the wild.

These pandas are constantly monitoring the camera.

Born in captivity Panda eats bamboo in the forest Day Shen, in the province of Sichuan.

Basket small bamboo bear breeding center for pandas.