Little Walnut (Photo courtesy of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda)

Two captive-bred pandas will be released into the wild in Sichuan province after undergoing two years of training to prepare for the wild.

Little Walnut (Photo courtesy of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda)

The pandas, “Qinxin” and “Little Walnut”, will be sent to the Longxi-Hongkou National Nature Reserve with rich bamboo resources in Dujiangyan, Sichuan, on Thursday. They are the first captive-bred pandas to be sent into the region.

Qinxin (Photo courtesy of China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda)

Experts in the nature reserve will continue monitoring them after their release to ensure they are adapting to life in the wild.