Sichuan Province will build a batch of giant panda natural reserves this year to better protect the endangered species, Dai Boyang, deputy director of the provincial forestry department, said during a meeting on Wednesday.

 

A reserve will be set aside in Ya'an City, and a route will be built to facilitate the connection between different panda varieties in Mao County and Wenchuan area.

 

The southwest province will also begin construction of a breeding center for pandas in Wolong, and aim to have more than 10 new-born pandas this year, Dai said.

 

In recent years, Sichuan has made great progress to protect giant pandas. The province has 37 panda natural reserves, covering an area of two million hectares.

 

The giant panda is one of the world's most endangered species and can only be found in the wild in China.

 

Experts estimate that there are about 1,600 pandas living in the wild. The vast majority -- about 1,100 -- live in one of the 59 natural reserves that China set up for species by the end of 2006.

 

(Shanghai Daily February 9, 2007)