Before the end of next year, the pandas are expected to rely solely on themselves for food, he said. "By the end of 2012, the healthy panda cubs will be released into the wild mountains."

Wolong Nature Reserve was damaged in the massive earthquake of May 2008 and all the pandas were sent to the Ya'an reserve. Rebuilding of the Wolong base was completed this year and its 154 captive-bred pandas -- including 31 born in the past two years, are expected to come home soon.

China's plan to save the endangered species by releasing captive-bred pandas back into the wild began in 2003, with Xiang Xiang, a male cub being trained to survive in the wild.

Xiang Xiang was released into the wild in 2006, but was found dead in 10 months in a remote corner of Wolong. He had apparently been attacked by wild pandas native to the place.

According to Li Desheng, deputy director of the Wolong center, Xiang Xiang's case proves that wild panda communities are very reluctant to accept male outsiders.

Researchers, however, refused to be dampened by the setback.

In May, the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in Sichuan's capital Chengdu began building a wild training center for captive-bred pandas at Majiagou of Yutang Town in the city of Dujiangyan City.

The 135-hectare area will host 40 to 50 giant pandas raised in captivity for wild training.

Giant pandas are among the world's most endangered species. Statistics from the State Forestry Administration show some 1,590 panda live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan and there are over 210 pandas in captivity.

Most giant pandas in captivity are not good breeders. Only 24 percent of females in captivity give birth, posing a serious threat to repopulation.

(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2010)