China traces whereabouts of panda released into the wild three years ago

(Image for representational purposes only)

New Delhi: Three years after it was released into the wild, a panda has been traced down to a natural reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province through images captured by cameras.

The pictures and videos of the panda were taken at the Yele Nature Reserve in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in late February, according to the provincial forestry department.

Zhang Xiang, the panda which was released in 2013, is now living in a suitable environment where it can find enough bamboo.

After investigating the pictures, videos and samples of the pandas's excrement, researchers found it was in normal physical condition.

The finding also proves that the panda has moved from one population to another and marks an achievement in releasing pandas into the wilderness in China.

Zhang Xiang is a female giant panda born on August 20, 2011 and was released into the wild in Liziping Nature Reserve in Ya'an City following two years of wilderness training.

(With PTI inputs)