It may be a while before they breed real life Kung Fu Pandas, but this may be the next best thing: scientists in China may use dogs to train pandas how to fight in the wild. The program was brainstormed after the first artificially bred panda, Xiang Xiang, died earlier this year after less than a year of being released into the wild. More in the full article.

 

Here's a bit of sad news for all you animal lovers out there. BBC reports that the first Chinese panda that was bred in captivity and released into the wild, has died.

Released April 2006, Xiang Xiang was found dead last February. It is believed that the panda likely died due to a fight with wild pandas. Injuries included broken ribs and there is evidence that the panda had fallen from a high area. It is believed that the Xiang Xiang had fought with other pandas over food and territory.

Zhang Hemin, head of the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre, says that although this may seem like a setback and all are sad that Xiang Xiang has died, this doesn't necessarily mean that "the project has failed". "The lessons we have learn(ed) from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project," Hemin says.

Giant pandas are an endangered species with only 1,600 remaining in the wild. Around 200 of them live in captivity. Officials say that the delay in the reporting Xiang Xiang's death was due to the need to fully investigate the causes.