Shotlist: Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, northwest China - Dec 15, 2025 1. Various of keepers trying to encourage Qi Zai to stand up, walk upright to reach food on bamboo pole as part of winter fitness course 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xue Wangli, keeper, Qinling Giant Panda Research Center (ending with shot 3): "They generally start participating in our physical training after they get three. Both males and females take part in this general training, mainly to strengthen their hind limbs." 3. Various of Qi Zai strolling 4. Various of pandas standing up to get food 5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xue Wangli, keeper, Qinling Giant Panda Research Center: "We tailor our training programs for each panda based on its physical condition and the duration of its participation. Some pandas are capable of walking upright, so they will engage in longer walking sessions, and we will correspondingly extend their training time. For pandas that are just beginning their training, we only ask them to stand up and hold the position for a little longer, without requiring them to walk at this stage." 6. Panda standing upright to get food 7. Various of panda eating bamboo Storyline The world's only brown-and-white panda in captivity, Qi Zai, received regular physical exercises to enhance its hind limb strength for the winter season at a research center in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Qi Zai was born in 2009 and weighs 110 kilograms now. Unlike typical black-and-white pandas, Qi Zai's unique coloring is caused by a rare genetic mutation. Keepers insert carrots and other foods that giant pandas like into one end of a bamboo pole, then guide the fluffy bear to stand on its hind legs and chase after the food. This is the winter physical training course for giant pandas at the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center. Starting in November each year, the training course takes place twice a day, about an hour after their morning and midday meals. Each training session lasts about five to ten minutes. "They generally start participating in our physical training after they get three. Both males and females take part in this general training, mainly to strengthen their hind limbs," said Xue Wangli, a keeper of Qinling Giant Panda Research Center. During the winter physical training session, not every giant panda can stand for long or walk as far as Qi Zai. Four-year-old Qi Ji, three-year-old Rong Rong, and three-year-old Shu Bao can currently only stand up but are not strong enough to take a few steps. "We tailor our training programs for each panda based on its physical condition and the duration of its participation. Some pandas are capable of walking upright, so they will engage in longer walking sessions, and we will correspondingly extend their training time. For pandas that are just beginning their training, we only ask them to stand up and hold the position for a little longer, without requiring them to walk at this stage," Xue said. According to experts, this training program not only gets a panda moving its whole body but also significantly strengthens its hind limbs. Strong hind limbs are crucial for a panda's daily activities, such as climbing, walking, and mating. Generally, pandas reach sexual maturity at four to six years old and can begin breeding. For pandas over three years old, more exercises during winter help lay a foundation for future breeding. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]