Infrared camera footage captured a giant panda at a nature reserve in southwest China’s Sichuan province. It's the first time in six years that a panda has been spotted in this area.

As seen in the footage, the bear first walked into the camera's line of vision on February 16. The same panda was then captured biting the camera, making some noise in the process.

The palm-sized camera was barely recognizable when an employee of the Baishuihe Nature Reserve arrived to collect data on May 14.

The bear is in good health, the employee said. He explained that in the past, pandas were often known as “iron-eating beasts” because they broke into people’s house and ate ironware to replenish trace elements they needed.

Panda activity had been frequent here before the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. After the earthquake, the forest resources and mountain lines changed, so some pandas left.

Data of wildlife is checked and collected every three months. The area where the panda was discovered is regarded as the most difficult place to go within the reserve, due to the high altitude and complex geographical conditions, the employee said.

He explained that it is the pleasant climate and environment that attracts the pandas here.

To keep the animals safe, the nature reserve has 20 routes to keep watch of rare and endangered wild animals, and has cracked down on poaching in collaboration with neighboring reserves and local forest police.