A nine-year-old female giant panda in the famous Wolong nature reserve was confirmed dead in the massive May 12 earthquake, with her body being retrieved and buried on Tuesday.

Mao Mao, was among six pandas who went missing after the earthquake. The other five have been found.

Rescuers saw the body on Monday but were unsure whether it was the missing panda Mao Mao or not, because most of the body were buried in rubble, according to a reserve official.

They retrieved the body with machines on Tuesday and then buried it.

The Wolong reserve sustained severe damage from the quake, with the death of five staff workers and the panda Mao Mao.

(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)