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Researchers dressed as giant pandas prepare panda cub for the wild in Chinese reserve

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At the Hetaoping Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda in China’s famous Wolong Nature Reserve, this 4-month-old cub is something of a pioneer, and the human researcher in a panda suit is helping to prepare him for life in the wild.

The captive-bred cub is being prepared for his eventual release through a new program conceived by panda researchers working to increase the endangered species’ numbers in the wild.

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For the program to be successful, the cub must be prevented from ‘imprinting’ on his human caretakers or developing too much dependence on people. (We wonder if a similar aim could be achieved by allowing the cubs to be raised by dogs trimmed and dyed to resemble pandas.)

The researchers released four pregnant pandas into a protected area monitored by hidden cameras this year, according to the Telegraph; the cub in the photo above was born to one of those mothers. When the researchers must come into close contact with him -- to take his temperature or give him a veterinary checkup, for example -- they do so only when clad in full-body panda costumes.

If anyone knows where one can fill out an application for panda-costume-wearing cub-sitter, please clue us in! This sounds like the best job in the world, perhaps tied only with Professional Island Caretaker. See more photos of the cub and his fake-panda caretakers after the jump!

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-- Lindsay Barnett

1st-3rd photos: Reuters

4th-5th photos: Associated Press

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