Backgrounder: Giant panda

Backgrounder: The Wolong Nature Reserve for Giant Panda  

Mainland seeks names for panda couple to Taiwan

    BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas for Taiwan compatriots.

    The panda couple, namely No. 19 (male) and No. 16 (female), were selected from among 23 candidates raised in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan Province, said Cao Qingyao, spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference.

    No. 19 is one year and four months old, weighing 46 kg and his lover No. 16 is one month older than him, weighing 48 kg, said Cao.

    "The panda experts were very, very cautious during the selection. So I can say No. 19 and No. 16 are the best choice," said the spokesman.

    "We hope the couple can meet the Taiwan compatriots as soon as possible and the Taiwan authorities can follow the wishes of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, providing active cooperation on this issue," said Dai Xiaofeng, head of the exchange bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

    Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, announced last May that the mainland compatriots would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace, unity and friendship.

    The panda selection standards included physiology, psychology, behavior, looks, genetics and age, said Zhang Hemin, director of the Wolong center and head of the nine-member expert group in charge of the selection work.

    Some leading zoologists from Taiwan have also been invited to Wolong to discuss technical issues on panda breeding, said Zhang.

    "Under the good care of the Taiwanese compatriots, the giant pandas will surely do well and have descendants," said Zhang.

    The giant panda is one of the world's most endangered species and is found only in China. It is estimated that 1,590 giant pandas live wild in China and those in captivity totaled 183 in the Chinese mainland by the end of 2005. Enditem

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