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harris. >> reporter: with those black and white markings and that face, the giant panda is iconic. and endangered. >> 15% of the world population is found in captivity. so pandas are on the brink of extinction. >> reporter: a team of researchers at the china conservation and research center for the giant panda have dedicated their lives to restoring the panda population in china. >> as the conservationist, your goal is not just to have a breeding captive population. the ultimate goal is to replenish the wild and release these animals successfully back into the wild. >> breeding pandas in captivity is extremely difficult. the female panda is fertile just two days a year. to encourage mating, researchers are using visual stimulation. you might call it panda porn.
release tao-tao into the wild, they have to make sure he recognizes a predator. tao-tao passes the test and he's ready for his ris or theic release into the wild. the culmination of 30 years of work for zhang. >> not only did he survive and then go through sort of the schooling program of becoming a full-fledged panda, but he was released into the wild. >> reporter: dan harris, abc news, new york. >> oh, tao-tao, we don't want you to leave. don't go back into the wild. i don't think that's a good idea. >> i don't think so either. can this work? these are the pros. he's not used to that environment. that's a scary place. like a child. you don't let them out and then throw them out in brooklyn and -- >> i don't think it's brooklyn. it's not brooklyn. >> nothing against brooklyn. >> i just want you to say you
for more, we're "up all nightline" with abc's dan harris. >> reporter: with those black and white markings and that face, the giant panda is iconic. and endangered. >> 15% of the world population is found in captivity. so pandas are on the brink of extinction. >> reporter: a team of researchers at the china conservation and research center for the giant panda have dedicated their lives to restoring the panda population in china. >> as the conservationist, your goal is not just to have a breeding captive population. the ultimate goal is to replenish the wild and release these animals successfully back into the wild. >> breeding pandas in captivity is extremely difficult. the female panda is fertile just two days a year. to encourage mating, researchers are using visual stimulation. you might call it panda porn.
thursday on natgeo wild. they are so cute. maybe that should be our mascot for "world news now." >> we have done enough panda stories since i've been here, it is our mascot. our mascot for "world news now."
each new generation of pandas is cause for celebration at the research center. these panda cubs will spend the next year in panda kindergarten learning how to climb trees and act like pandas. researchers recognize that a panda reliant on humans will never be able to survive in the wild. so the humans get creative. keepers have to bring in bamboo so when they do so, they dress in panda suits. >> the panda suits seem rather comical at first seeing two giant pandas on walkie-talkies, but they are critical to the success of the wild releases for the pandas. >> reporter: this panda and his mom have been living undisturbed in the nature reserve for five months. but before researchers will
each new generation of pandas is cause for celebration at the research center. these panda cubs will spend the next year in panda kindergarten learning how to climb trees and act like pandas. researchers recognize that a panda reliant on humans will never be able to survive in the wild. so at the panda base, humans get creative. keepers have to bring in bamboo so when they do so, they dress in panda suits. >> the panda suits seem rather comical at first seeing two giant pandas on walkie-talkies, but they are critical to the success of the wild releases for the pandas. >> reporter: this panda and his mom have been living undisturbed in the nature reserve for five months. but before researchers will release tao-tao into the wild,
they have to make sure he recognizes a predator. tao-tao passes the test and he's ready for historic release into the wild. the culmination of 30 years of work for zhang. >> not only did he survive and then go through sort of the schooling program of becoming a full-fledged panda, but he was released into the wild. >> reporter: dan harris, abc news, new york. >> oh, tao-tao, we don't want you to leave. don't go back into the wild. i don't think that's a good idea. >> i don't think so either. can that work? these are the pros. he's not used to that environment. that's a scary place. like a child. you don't let them out and then throw them out in brooklyn and -- >> i don't think it's brooklyn. it's not brooklyn. >> nothing against brooklyn. >> i just want you to say you can catch "giant pandas" on