CHENGDU: A panda cub at a panda base in southwest China’s Sichuan Province died Thursday due to accidental suffocation, Xinhua news agency reported according to the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda.
The centre said Saturday that the female cub, born on Aug 10 last year, lived in the Shenshuping panda breeding base at the Wolong National Nature Reserve.
The cub played alone in the outdoor playground at the base and climbed up a wooden frame with a hanging ball at around 2 am on April 9. It was found dead by a breeder at around 9 am with ropes tangled around its neck and forelegs.
The centre said they are deeply saddened by the loss and are aware of their failure to properly guarantee the safety of the panda and will further strengthen the safety inspection and evaluation of the facilities for young giant pandas as well as thoroughly investigate the potential safety hazards in the park to avoid the repeat of such incident.
Night patrols will also be strengthened to prevent the recurrence of such accidents, it said. – Bernama
