A rare sighting of a wild giant panda has been captured on video for the first time in Dawei Township, a mountainous area under the administration of Emeishan City in Sichuan Province of China.
The footage shows a healthy adult panda moving through dense forest, suggesting the location could serve as a viable natural habitat for the endangered animal.
Researchers from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda confirmed that the animal is a wild male, estimated to be about 10 years old.
Zhang Guiquan, a senior engineer at the center, said the panda appears to be in good physical condition, indicating the environment offers adequate food and minimal human interference.
Recently, a wild giant panda was spotted by infrared cameras in Sichuan's Jiuding Mountain. #panda pic.twitter.com/trIA1YosAt
-- China Xinhua News (@XHNews) October 31, 2025
Though Dawei Township is not located within a national park or official nature reserve, the region is remote and rich in bamboo, the panda's primary food source. The area's isolation and biodiversity make it a promising environment for supporting the long-term survival of wild panda populations.
Local residents have reported signs of panda activity in recent years, including frequent droppings. According to researchers, laboratory analysis of fresh samples confirmed the panda was not released from captivity but is part of the wild population.
In response to the confirmed sighting, local forestry authorities have announced plans to increase patrol efforts and improve protection measures.
Researchers said they will expand monitoring operations in the area as part of ongoing habitat restoration efforts aimed at protecting the species.
The giant panda, known scientifically as Ailuropoda melanoleuca, is native to China and easily identified by its black and white fur pattern. Adult pandas typically weigh between 100 and 115 kilograms (220 to 254 pounds) and can grow up to 1.9 meters (6 feet 3 inches) long.
Males are generally larger than females. The animal is mainly herbivorous, feeding almost entirely on bamboo, and has evolved strong molars and a thumb-like structure to help with grasping and chewing.
Giant pandas live in high-altitude forests across six mountain ranges in several Chinese provinces, at elevations reaching 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). They are solitary by nature and rely on scent marking to communicate. Females raise their cubs alone for up to 24 months.
The most recent national panda survey, conducted between 2011 and 2014, estimated the wild population to be 1,864 individuals over 1.5 years old. Including cubs, the total was placed at around 2,060. The species was reclassified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2016, a status also adopted by Chinese officials in 2021.
Captive populations remain small, with just over 260 individuals held in facilities inside and outside China. The panda continues to serve as a national symbol and cultural icon of China.