World in brief: Panda released to wild found dead
The first panda bred in captivity and released into the wild has died in China after less than a year – the apparent victim of a fall. Chinese officials said the body bore injuries inflicted by wild pandas, and the animal may have died trying to escape.
The body of the 5-year-old panda, Xiang Xiang, was found Feb. 19 on snow-covered ground in the forests of Sichuan province in China’s southwest, the Xinhua News Agency said. He survived less than a year despite nearly three years of training on surviving in the wild.
“Xiang Xiang died of serious internal injuries in the left side of his chest and stomach by falling from a high place,” said Heng Yi, an official from the Wolong Giant Panda Research Center in Sichuan.
Heng said the announcement of the death was delayed because of the need for an investigation.
“We are all sad about Xiang Xiang, but it doesn’t mean the project has failed,” Zhang Hemin, the Wolong center’s head, was quoted as saying by Xinhua. “The lessons we have learned from what happened to Xiang Xiang will help us adapt and improve the project.”
The 176-pound male panda was released in April 2006. Xiang Xiang had been trained to build a den, forage for food and mark his territory. He also developed defensive skills such as howling and biting.
There are about 1,600 wild pandas in the mountain forests of central China – the only place in the world they are found.
Washington
U.S. warns citizens against Iran travel
The United States warned U.S. citizens on Thursday against traveling to Iran, accusing Islamic authorities there of a “disturbing pattern” of harassment after the detention of a fourth Iranian American for alleged espionage.
“American citizens may be subject to harassment or arrest while traveling or residing in Iran,” the State Department said after confirming that Ali Shakeri, a peace activist from Irvine, Calif., who has been missing in Iran for more than two weeks, is being held at a notorious prison in Tehran along with three other people.
“Americans of Iranian origin should consider the risk of being targeted by authorities before planning travel to Iran,” the department said, noting that “dual national Iranian-American citizens may encounter difficulty in departing Iran.”
The alert alleged that Tehran continues to repress numerous indigenous minority groups and that “some elements” of the Iranian government and population are extremely hostile to the United States.