Sichuan News Network Chengdu, May 25 (Reporter Liu Peipei) On May 25, the Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Administration released the world's first white giant panda photo. It is understood that this photo was taken by a field infrared trigger camera at an altitude of about 2,000 meters in the reserve in mid-April. The image clearly shows the panda's unique morphological characteristics: the hair is white throughout, the claws are white, the eyes are red, and it is passing through the lush original deciduous broad-leaved forest. According to expert analysis, based on these external features on the photo, it can be judged that the panda is an albino individual. Judging by its size, this is a sub-adult or young panda, and the age is about 1-2 years old.
According to Li Sheng, a member of the IUCN bear expert group and a researcher at the School of Life Sciences of Peking University, the phenomenon of "albinism" is widespread in various groups of vertebrates, but it is relatively rare, usually due to genetic mutations that cause the animal to be unable to synthesize melanin normally, thus showing white, yellowish white or light yellow in external morphology. Simple "bleaching" mutations do not affect the normal body structure and physiological functions of animals, in addition to the possibility of making animals more easily found in the environment, the body is more sensitive to direct sunlight, usually has no obvious impact on animal activities, reproduction. The panda photographed by Wolong this time is the first case of complete albinism recorded in wild pandas, indicating that there is an "albino" mutation gene in wolong's giant panda regional population. From the photos, the individual has a strong physique and a steady gait, which also confirms from the side that the mutation may not have affected the normal life of this panda.
The Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Administration released the world's first photo of a white giant panda
"Albinism" mutations are recessive genes that can be inherited. Each individual animal has two sets of genes from both parents, and only when the genes from both the parent and the mother are mutant, the animal individual will show the trait of "albinism". Based on the current data, it is not possible to judge the sex of this individual. When it successfully breeds offspring with normal wild individuals (that is, ordinary "black and white" pandas) who do not carry mutated genes, the external form of the first generation of baby pandas will still be ordinary black and white, but the body will carry a "white" mutant gene. Later, when two individuals carrying mutant genes mate and reproduce again, their offspring may appear to be mutated in both genes, and they will appear as "albino" individuals in external morphology. In wolong, a giant panda population, whether the albino mutation gene will be further passed on needs to be observed through continuous field monitoring in the reserve.
It is understood that in order to find out the composition of different ecosystem species in Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve and grasp the use of habitat by different species, in 2018, Wolong Nature Reserve launched the Wolong Wildlife Grid Monitoring Scientific Research Work, which selected 7 sample areas in different ecosystems in the region, each sample area of 20 square kilometers, and deployed infrared trigger cameras to systematically monitor the distribution and dynamic changes of wild animals in the area. The first white giant panda photo came from one of the monitoring sample areas, the camera was installed last December, and at the same point a large number of images of Chinese impala and hairy-crowned deer were also taken.
According to Duan Zhaogang, secretary of the Party Committee of Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Management Bureau and Wolong Special Economic Zone, next, Wolong will increase the infrared camera control in the area, focusing on tracking the growth and development, activity trajectory and community relationship of this individual.
(Photo courtesy of Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Administration)
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