FILE: Longnan City, Gansu Province, northwest China - April 19, 2018 (CCTV -No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of infrared camera footage of two wild giant pandas

Longnan City, Gansu Province, northwest China - Nov 8, 2018 (CCTV -No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of He Liwen, director of panda management office at Baishui River National Nature Reserve, looking at book
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) He Liwen, director, panda management office, Baishui River National Nature Reserve:
"We can see from the video that the two pandas are very intimate. They are hugging, touching each other's faces. There are also some signs that show they might mate. It's very rare in China to record the whole process of pandas showing mutual affection."
4. He working on computer
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) He Liwen, director, panda management office, Baishui River National Nature Reserve:
""Pandas' courtship is similar to that of human beings. They will be happy and angry during the process. We can see at the beginning of the video that one panda is slapping the face of another. After that, the two pandas are very close to each other at the end of the video."

FILE: Longnan City, Gansu Province, northwest China - Exact Date Unknown (CCTV -No access Chinese mainland)
6. Various of worker climbing mountain

Infrared cameras captured two wild giant pandas showing affection towards each other in the Baishui River National Nature Reserve in Longnan City, northwest China's Gansu Province.

In the footage that was captured in April of this year, two pandas can be seen showing mutual affection by looking at each other and hugging frequently. They were communicating with each other by making sounds, as well as rubbing and smelling each other.

He Liwen, director of the nature reserve's panda management office, said the two pandas will probably mate, judging from their behavior.

"We can see from the video that the two pandas are very intimate. They are hugging, touching each other's faces. There are also some signs that show they might mate. It's very rare in China to record the whole process of pandas showing mutual affection," said He.

According to He, the pandas enter the phases of estrus, love and mating from March to May each year, but the process is not always smooth.

"Pandas' courtship is similar to that of human beings. They will be happy and angry during the process. We can see at the beginning of the video that one panda is slapping the face of another. After that, the two pandas are very close to each other at the end of the video," he added.

Local authorities have been increasing their efforts and investment in ecological environmental protection, vigorously implementing ecological strategies and building green shelters.

The great improvements to the ecological environment have also led to a significant increase in the number and frequent activities of wild pandas.

The Baishui River National Nature Reserve has the largest number of wild pandas in the world. Of the 132 wild pandas in Gansu Province, 110 are located in the reserve.