In the region of southwestern China, a unique albino giant panda, thought to be the sole specimen of its kind, has reemerged in its natural habitat.

The Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan province recently made public surveillance footage showing a rare all-white animal, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, May 27th.

The report indicated that the panda was estimated to be approximately five or six years old and showed no signs of any health concerns.

The unique creature was initially detected by the surveillance cameras of the nature reserve in April 2019, situated at an elevation of approximately 2,000 meters above sea level. Subsequently, the reserve unveiled the initial photographs of the creature in May of the same year, revealing its distinct white fur, sharp claws, and striking red eyes.

Officials at the reserve have established a dedicated team to oversee the activities of the panda, as reported by CCTV. Researchers meticulously observed the potential patterns of the bear and deployed motion-sensing cameras, ensuring precise monitoring of its behavior.

The recently released video footage depicts the rare white panda engaging with multiple typical black-and-white giant pandas in its natural habitat situated at approximately 2,600 meters above sea level, as detailed in an article by the state-run publication, People’s Daily.

The initial documentation of an albino giant panda living in the wild was attributed to Mr. Li Sheng, an esteemed researcher at the School of Life Sciences of Peking University, as reported in a segment by CCTV.

“It remains uncertain whether the gene will be passed down and establish a consistent presence within the limited panda population. Further research is imperative to provide conclusive insights,” he stated.

China also discovered 10 rare brown giant pandas in the wild between 1985 and 2021, according to state media.

One of the individuals is a male known as Qizai, who was initially sighted in November 2009 within the confines of the Foping National Nature Reserve situated in the Shaanxi province of northwestern China.

Qizai was first found when he was approximately two months old, and has resided in captivity at a panda breeding research facility in Shaanxi ever since.

In 1985, a significant discovery was made in the realm of panda conservation as a distinctive brown panda, identified as a female named Dandan, was observed. Dandan was later paired with a traditional black-and-white giant panda, resulting in the birth of three cubs, all displaying the characteristic black-and-white coloration. Tragically, Dandan passed away in 2000 due to cancer.

Giant pandas are indigenous to China and predominantly inhabit the mountainous regions of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces. According to the biodiversity report released by China in 2021, the estimated population of wild giant pandas stood at approximately 1,860.