An electrician filmed their close encounter with a wild panda spotted a crossing river in southern China.

The video was filmed in Tianquan County in Sichuan Province on February 17, shows an around 100-kilogram wild giant panda crossing a river.

According to an electrician named Li, he worked in the area for 20 years and it was the first time he saw a wild panda.

Experts said it is easier to spot wild pandas as it is during migration time for them.

According to a survey in 2015, there were 1,864 pandas in the wild in China, the number of which increased 16.8% than that in a survey released in 2013.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

2月17日，正月初六，大熊猫下山过河拜晚年！

记者从大熊猫国家公园管理局获悉，当天上午九点左右，电力工作人员李先生在雅安天全县拉塔河处工作中，发现河中有异样，探头仔细一看，居然发现了一只憨态可掬的大熊猫正在过河，他随即拿起手机拍下了这一珍贵画面。

李先生说，当时大熊猫与他距离非常近，这也是他工作二十余年来第一次亲眼看到野生大熊猫，心情十分激动，但他不忘提醒同事切勿过于靠近，以免使其受到惊吓，最后目送它消失于视野范围。

从视频中来看，这只大熊猫是一只成年野生大熊猫，据专家目测，这只大熊猫体重200余斤，毛色光亮、眼睛有神、动作矫捷、健康状况良好。专家介绍，现在正值熊猫迁移扩散的季节，所以比较容易见到迁移个体。

发现该大熊猫的地点属大熊猫国家公园二郎山国有林场。天全县环境优良，森林覆盖率高达74.1%，竹林资源丰富，断面水环境质量达到国家Ⅱ类水质标准，环境空气质量达到国家一级标准。这些良好的生态环境使天全县成为了大熊猫宜居的“家园”。据全国第四次大熊猫调查结果显示，天全境内共有大熊猫78只，分布数量居雅安市第二；县域面积有1617平方公里划为大熊猫国家公园，占县域面积的67.7%；大熊猫栖息地占雅安大熊猫栖息地总面积的27.14%。