( CNN ) -- China 's giant pandas are believed to be safe after Monday 's earthquake , but concern is growing over how they will get their next meals . Questions remain about whether infrastructure damage will harm the giant pandas ' supply of bamboo . Authorities confirmed Tuesday that captive animals in two of China 's major panda reserves were alive , according to Xinhua , China 's official news agency . The Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Center in southwest Sichuan province is home to about 86 giant pandas , who were reported safe Tuesday . Staff and critters at neighboring Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center were also reported safe , according to a spokesperson for the Atlanta Zoo , which has two pandas on loan from the wildlife reserve . Concern arose in the international wildlife community over damage to the animals ' habitat , as authorities continued assessing the scope of damage in the Sichuan province . The mountainous , densely wooded region is the natural habitat for most of the 1,200 giant pandas living in the wild , making it an obvious location for research bases like Wolong and Chengdu . Giant pandas roam the forest in `` open cages '' that are meant to provide them with a safe , natural environment that will prepare them for release . With the safety of the pandas confirmed , the animals ' caregivers are left to determine how resources like food and medical supplies will reach the bases , which contain breeding facilities and triage centers . Bamboo , the pandas ' primary source of food , is a major agricultural product in the region , but whether it can be supplied to the pandas despite infrastructure damage is open to question . `` Wolong is hard to access under normal conditions , so the heavy road damage makes it even harder , '' said Kerry Zobor , spokeswoman for the World Wildlife Fund . Zobor said the WWF had confirmed the safety of staff members based in Beijing but had not received word on the conditions in Wolong . She said the WWF was also concerned about members who had been touring the country when the earthquake struck . The group has not been located . Scientists in the United States are hopeful that Chinese researchers will adapt to the situation facing them . David Wildt with the Smithsonian 's National Zoological Park in Washington says scientists in Wolong have overcome threats to the giant panda population before . In the late 1990s , the captive giant panda population was in decline , with more animals dying than were born , Wildt said . Thanks to a collaborative effort with American scientists , the Wolong staff was able to reverse the trend . `` Our Chinese colleagues are very perceptive when it comes to addressing problems , '' said Wildt , who has visited Wolong many times as part of the Smithsonian 's affiliation with the research base . `` Because of their efforts , the population is on the rise today . '' Wildt said that Chinese scientists have also addressed the issue of alternative food sources . `` Artificial diets in the form of protein biscuits have been created for giant pandas . They 're not a complete substitute , but they meet the needs of a basic high-fiber diet , '' said Wildt , who has worked with two pandas that the Smithsonian has on loan from Wolong . `` Right now , we 're mostly concerned about the staff . If the staff is fine , then the animals will be fine , '' Wildt said .
Report : Chinese authorities confirm that captive giant pandas are safe . Concerns grow over road accessibility to the reserves . Scientist : " The animals have been kept in a small enclosure for years, and they've never had any problems with their environment or other wild animals.