The Giant Panda reintroduction programme has took another step forward with four pandas who are expected to be mothers this year being transferred to a special facility, where they will be left to give birth and bring up their cubs in a semi wild environment without interference from humans.

All four Giant Pandas are wild born so have natural ability to survive in the wild. All but one has been a mother before.

Researchers will observe and monitor the mothers, seeing how they choose where to nest and how they bring up their cubs. Later on the smells and sounds of enemies of the Giant Panda will be introduced in to the area so as prepare the young cubs for life in the real wild.

The four Giant Panda mothers selected for the experiment are : Zi Zhu NameZi Zhu Chinese Names紫竹 Stud Number656 Date of Birth-- SexFemale Current LocationHetaoping Training Base RescuedPINGWU Mother Father , Cao Cao NameCao Cao Chinese Names草草 Stud Number581 Date of Birth2002-- SexFemale Current LocationHetaoping Training Base RescuedCaopo Mother Father , Zhang Ka NameZhang Ka Other NamesDai Li Chinese Names张卡 Stud Number505 Date of Birth2000-- SexFemale Current LocationHetaoping Training Base RescuedBaoxing County Mother Father and Ying Ping NameYing Ping Chinese Names英萍 Stud Number200835 Date of Birth-- SexFemale Current LocationHetaoping Training Base RescuedWOLONG Mother Father .

This is a very important step in the programme to reintroduce giant pandas back in to the wild.