Gene bank to help pandas carry on ancestral line
( 2004-01-01 10:35) (Xinhua)
Can dead giant pandas have
babies? The answer will probably be "yes" after Chinese scientists set up a
special gene pool next year.
 Approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the gene pool will be
established beginning from January, 2004, at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding
and Research Base in Sichuan Province in southwest China.
The entire gene pool is like a "gene bank", which stores sperm, ova, embryos,
cells, DNA and other products, said Zhang Zhihe, director of the base, on
Wednesday.
The "gene bank" can save the genetic material of giant pandas hundreds of
years after they die, which could possibly grow into new giant pandas, Zhang
said.
Scientists expected that the gene pool could begin operation infive years,
when the artificial breeding of giant pandas can begin.
Captive giant pandas do not easily mate or raise cubs. The propagation rate
and mating rate was lower than 20 percent from the 1960s to 1980s. Less than 30
percent of giant pandas had babies and less than 30 percent of baby pandas
survived, said Zhang Hemin, a giant panda specialist.
Giant pandas were one of the most ancient and endangered animals in the
world. At present, there are only 1,000 giant pandas living in the wild and 140
artificially-bred worldwide. Most wild giant pandas live in the mountains around
the Sichuan basin.
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