Recently, according to reports from multiple domestic media outlets, staff at the Changqing National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi Province discovered footage of an adult brown giant panda while organizing data from the 2024 spring giant panda and habitat survey.
It is reported that the close-up footage of the brown giant panda was captured on January 17, 2024, in the Baiyangping area of the reserve at an altitude of about 1500 meters. This marks the second sighting of a wild brown giant panda in the reserve located at the southern foot of the Qinling Mountains since 2018, and the 11th discovery of a wild brown giant panda in the Qinling region.
The brown giant panda is a unique member of the giant panda family in the Qinling Mountains. Including this recent discovery, documented sightings of brown giant pandas in the world are within the boundaries of Foping County, Yang County, Taibai County, and Zhouzhi County in Shaanxi Province, all within the Qinling Mountains region. The rediscovery of the brown giant panda at the southern foot of the Qinling Mountains after 6 years further confirms their widespread presence in the area.
Why do brown giant pandas exist? According to Jin Xuelin, a giant panda conservation expert at the Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, there have been several hypotheses regarding the appearance of brown giant pandas. One of them is the hypothesis of hidden gene inheritance, suggesting that the gene controlling brown fur in giant pandas is recessive. It is only when both the male and female pandas carry the brown gene that offspring with brown fur are produced. This explains why brown giant pandas are relatively rare, as black and white fur is dominant and can mask the brown color. On March 5, 2024, a study published by the team of academician Wei Fuwen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) revealed that a mutation in the Bace2 gene leads to the expression of brown fur instead of the original black fur, further elucidating the genetic factors behind brown giant pandas.
How do the habits of brown giant pandas differ from those of regular giant pandas? Jin Xuelin told reporters that due to the scarcity of artificially bred brown giant pandas, it is difficult to determine whether the observed behavioral differences in brown pandas are due to individual variations or the brown gene. However, based on observations of "Qizai," a brown giant panda raised at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center (Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue Base), it does exhibit some differences from other pandas. For example, its fur feels coarser to the touch compared to black and white pandas. It also seems less sociable, taking a longer time to start eating apples compared to other pandas who quickly enjoy them. Jin Xuelin stated.
Although the population of brown giant pandas is scarce, making them the "stars" among pandas, Jin Xuelin believes there is no need to artificially increase their population. He mentioned, "Firstly, we need to consider if there is a necessity to expand their population because brown giant pandas are members of the Qinling giant panda population, just with a different color. If there is indeed a need to breed brown giant pandas, we would have to find individuals with both parents carrying the brown gene to mate and reproduce. This way, the offspring are more likely to be brown. If both the male and female pandas are brown, the offspring will definitely be brown." Jin Xuelin told the "Chinese Science News."
An infrared camera in the Changqing National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi captured a wild brown giant panda. (Video screenshot) (Image provided by Changqing National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi)
