Overview of the Current Giant Panda Reintroduction Program
The redesigned reintroduction program consists of 3 stages for a panda who could be released, but is constantly being updated and reevaluated.
Stage 1 of the training takes place at the Hetaoping Panda Center within the Wolong Panda Reserve. (Closed to the General Public). Stage 1 begins when a female panda, who is thought to be pregnant, is put in a semi wild enclosure to give birth. The enclosures are as natural as possible in regard to vegetation they will find in the wild and they are approximately one acre in size. There is a den or lean-to for the mother to birth in, which is similar to what she would find in the wild, where she would use a cave or hollowed out tree trunk to give birth. If the mother gives birth to a healthy cub, they are left in this enclosure for up to one year.
Since the mother has known humans there is an indoor enclosure where she temporarily stays when the staff needs to clean the outdoor enclosure or perform a health check on the cub.