Sixteen giant pandas were born in captivity in China last year, bringing the total number of giant pandas in captivity to 160 worldwide, according to the Chengdu-based Giant Panda Breeding Technology Committee.

Nineteen baby pandas were born via natural or artificial insemination in Chinese breeding centers last autumn, and 16 survived.

Newborns are not counted toward the overall panda population until they reach 6 months in age, said Zhang Zhihe, director of the committee.

Now, 160 giant pandas live in artificial environments worldwide, about two-thirds of which are at the Wolong Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center and Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base.

All of the pandas belong to China except seven, including three from Mexico, two from Japan and one each from Germany and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said Zhang.

The Chicago Zoo in the United States was the first to breed giant pandas, which got one from China named "Su Lin" in 1936.

China began artificial breeding in Beibei Park in Chongqing in 1939, according to Yu Jianqiu, an expert.

The country has made remarkable progress breeding the animals since the 1990s.

Nine were born in 2000, 12 were born in 2001 and 10 in 2002, the committee said.

One of the most endangered species in the world, there are roughly 1,000 giant pandas in the world, most of which live in the high mountains around the Sichuan Basin.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2004)