A giant panda enters a forest park in search of food at Jiajin Mountain of Yaan City, Southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photo provided by Zhang Zhongyan)
(ECNS) -- A wild giant panda was spotted on Wednesday hastily entering a bamboo forest at a park in Jiajin Mountain of Yaan City, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Chengdu Economic Daily reported.
Zhang Zhongyan, a forest ranger, said he encountered the panda on a road at 7.20 p.m. on Aug 17, seeing it disappear into the forest about 30 seconds later.
He added that the adult panda was so nimble it quickly crossed the road and then easily climbed up and over a one-meter-tall ridge.
An expert said the panda may have been hungry and in search of its preferred food - bashania fangiana (arrow bamboo).
Wild giant pandas have been spotted along these mountains in the past and local forestry authorities have increased their efforts to protect these endangered species.
