Artificial insemination has resulted in the birth of 25 baby pandas
this year, of which 21 have survived, according to the
Chengdu-based Giant Panda Breeding Technology Committee yesterday.
This is a record number since attempts began in the 1960s.
"It's undoubtedly a boon to the critically-endangered species,"
said Zhang Zhihe, the committee's director.
Zoologists artificially impregnated 38 giant pandas nationwide
in spring and 25 baby pandas were born in the fall, Zhang told
Xinhua News Agency.
He said 16 of the surviving baby pandas were born at the Wolong
Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center in the southwestern
province of Sichuan, including two sets of twins.
"Despite the early deaths of four baby pandas, this year has
witnessed the largest number of surviving newborn pandas in China's
history of their artificial fertilization," he said. "We owe this
achievement to Chinese scientists. They have acquired mature
techniques and valuable experience after years of hard work."
Last year, China's 30 artificially-fertilized giant pandas
produced 12 offspring but only nine survived.
China began to try artificial fertilization techniques on giant
pandas in the 1960s but few successful cases were reported.
Major breakthroughs have been reported since the 1990s, with
nine baby pandas born in 2000, 12 in 2001, 10 in 2002 and 15 in
2003.
At the Wolong center, inaugurated in 1983, 90 baby pandas have
been born through artificial insemination, 77 of whom have
survived. It has reported 100 percent newborn survival rate for
five years in a row.
Giant pandas show little instinctive behavior in captivity,
especially sexual desire, essential for natural mating and
conception.
According to forestry authorities, less than 10 percent of male
giant pandas mate naturally in captivity and less than 30 percent
of females conceive naturally.
Females normally enter estrus at age four or five and have only
one chance for a pregnancy each year. After 160 days they deliver
only one or two cubs.
"Female pandas are extremely picky about their Mr. Right," said
Zhang. "So we raise panda cubs in pairs hoping puppy love will
create soul mate couples."
On the other hand, zoologists have also been helping mother
pandas with artificial feeding to reduce mortality rate among
newborn pandas, he said.
Pandas are among the world's most endangered wild animals and
are found only in China. A forestry report released in 2004 said
there were 1,590 giant pandas in the wild and another 161 in
captivity worldwide.
Wild pandas mainly live in mountainous areas of Sichuan, Shaanxi
and Gansu provinces.
(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2005)