CHENGDU, April 29 -- A giant panda was freed back into the wild on Wednesday, fully recovered from sickness after a month of treatment and convalescence.
The 10-year-old female was found by villagers on March 17 in Wolong National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province. She was poorly nourished, suffering from an irregular heart beat and low temperature.
Staff at the reserve gave her emergency treatment for over nine hours and her condition began to improve the next day. Known to staff as Wolong No. 2, her weight has increased from 65 kg when first taken into care, to 80 kg today.
Her latest physical check-up showed her fully recovered. Researchers will continue to monitor Wolong No. 2 after her release.
Two wild giant pandas have previously received treatment for injuries and sickness before being freed in Sichuan Province.
Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. About 1,600 live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, while more than 300 live in captivity.
The Wolong National Nature Reserve, covering 200,000 hectares in Sichuan's Wenchuan County, was founded in 1963 as the "home of the giant panda".
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