Three giant pandas are missing after last week's massive earthquake hit China's most important reserve for the endangered animal, Xinhua reported yesterday.
It was the first report about the fate of pandas raised at the Wolong research and breeding centre, just 30 km from the epicenter.
The 8.0 magnitude quake killed five staff at the Wolong Nature Reserve and seriously damaged all of its panda houses, Xinhua said.
"The first batch of bamboo, apples, and veterinary medicine for the pandas, as well as food and the tents urgently needed by the staff, arrived at the Wolong Reserve on Saturday night," a State Forestry Administration spokesman was quoted as saying.
Aftershocks are still rattling Sichuan province a week after the main quake.
Sixty giant pandas raised at the Wolong sanctuary, nestled high in a valley four hours west of the provincial capital of Chengdu, were safe. Among those were Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, the panda duo offered by the mainland as gifts to Taiwan.
The government had not yet established the safety of the 1,590 pandas living in the wild in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu.
（英语点津 Helen 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Jonathan Stewart is a media and journalism expert from the United States with four years of experience as a writer and instructor. He accepted a foreign expert position with chinadaily.com.cn in June 2007 following the completion of his Master of Arts degree in International Relations and Comparative Politics.
