Sichuan Province, southwest China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Aerial shots of Tiantai Mountain where Hetaoping Wild Training Base is located
2. Various of panda keepers hiking into mountain to provide supplementary feeding
3. Various of Panda mother Huihui responding to keeper's call, coming down to feed
4. Aerial shot of forest
5. Various of keepers hiking up slippery mountain trail to track other pandas
6. Various of Panda mother Tiantian
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Mou Shijie, keeper, Hetaoping Wild Training Base in Wolong, China Conservation and Research Center (starting with shot 6):
"Because it's summer now, Tiantai Mountain is full of bamboo shoots."
8. Various of keepers continuing searching for other pandas
9. Stream murmuring
10. Aerial shot of forest

FILE: Sichuan Province, southwest China - 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
11. Various of mother panda and cub pairs at Hetaoping Wild Training Base

Deep in the forests of Tiantai Mountain, southwest China's Sichuan Province, panda mothers are teaching their cubs crucial survival skills as part of China's giant panda reintroduction program.

In a forested area near the Hetaoping Wild Training Base in Wolong, three mother panda and cub pairs are undergoing a stage of training designed to prepare the cubs for independent life in the wild. The site spans approximately one square kilometer and lies between 2,450 and 3,100 meters in elevation.

The training, based on the "mother-led" model, allows panda moms to guide their cubs through hands-on behavioral learning, demonstrating how to search for food, respond to nature, and survive outside of captivity. To ensure the mothers get enough nutrition to nurse their cubs, panda keepers hike into the mountains every morning and afternoon to provide supplementary feeding.

At dawn, keeper Mou Shijie began sorting freshly purchased bamboo shoots, which are stored in a temperature-controlled cellar at around nine degrees Celsius to preserve freshness for up to four days.

Currently, the wild training site hosts three panda mothers -- Tiantian, Xianxian, and Huihui -- with their cubs. Having lived in the area for the past ten months, their movements vary daily. Before heading out with feeding baskets, the keepers need to identify the panders' locations using tracking equipment.

According to Mou, the panda mothers wear GPS collars for real-time tracking, while their cubs are fitted with radio transmitters that emit location signals but do not provide precise positioning.

Shortly after entering the forest, Mou spotted Huihui. She promptly responded to his familiar call and came down to feed.

Since these panda mothers were raised in captivity, they remain familiar with their human caretakers. During feeding times, they often emerge at the sound of the keepers' calls. The cubs, meanwhile, stay hidden in the forest, relying on their mothers for nourishment and wilderness guidance.

An hour-long hike up a slippery mountain trail led Mou to Tiantian's usual area. This time, however, she failed to respond.

"Because it's summer now, Tiantai Mountain is full of bamboo shoots," said Mou.

Assuming Tiantian had already eaten well, Mou continued deeper into the forest in search of the third panda mother, Xianxian.

Mou said that rewilding training for panda cubs typically lasts between one and two years. At the end of the training, each cub is assessed individually to determine if it's ready for release into the wild.