Rewards offered for return of red panda on the run in Yunnan

Photo: Courtesy of the Pu'er Sun-River National Park

Rewards ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 yuan have been offered for the safe return of a red panda from the Pu'er Sun-River Forest Park that has been on the run for more than three months, media reports said.

The 5-year-old panda broke free from its enclosure on August 20, and has been roaming freely since then, according to an announcement by the park on Monday.

"The company will offer a reward of 5,000 yuan for non-employee villagers or forest rangers who provide crucial information leading to the retrieval of the red panda. Company employees will be eligible for a reward of 3,000 yuan," the announcement said.

The panda has been spotted multiple times in the scenic area and near the observation tower. On November 13, it was discovered near a local coffee factory by a forest ranger. However, it has yet to return to its designated exhibition area within the park.

The red panda, classified as a second-level protected animal in China, poses no threat to humans, the announcement emphasized, adding that to ensure a safe capture, individuals encountering the panda are advised to lift its tail to temporarily restrain it and use a bag or basket for control.

A park employee told the Beijing News on Thursday that the escaped red panda is approximately 5 years old and in its adolescence, exhibiting playful behavior.

Before the escape, it was placed in its exhibition area. "The red panda could freely move around in the exhibition area, and at that time we didn't close the doors to the area, so it took the opportunity to escape," the employee said, adding that they had previously noticed traces of the escaped red panda within the scenic area, but due to the large expanse of the area, capturing it has been challenging.

Currently, capture teams are employing food-based lures in their efforts to safely retrieve the red panda.

Global Times