Photographer Ami Vitale was allowed exclusive access into the Wolong National Nature Reserve managed by the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda as it trains pandas to be released into the wild. While only about 1,600 giant pandas exist in the wild, the centre is the brain child of Director Zhang Hemin and has been successful at teaching them to survive in the wild by mimicking conditions of their natural habitats. Zhang Xiang became the first female panda to be released into the wild. These pictures show the extraordinary lengths the keepers go to with the pandas

• How do I become ... a panda keeper