CHENGDU, Aug. 21, (Xinhua) -- A week-old panda cub has become more privileged than most Chinese children after receiving a special birthday gift -- its own blog.

    Born at a breeding center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the cub will have its first steps and other aspects of its growth monitored daily.

    "We hope to raise public awareness, especially among young people, of panda protection by this new medium," said Zhang Zhihe, head of the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan and one of the blog instigators.

    The female cub, who was still unnamed, was personified as a blogger posting stories about her growth, her family and other pandas in the center, said Zhang.

    Internet users can also view pictures and videos of the pandas on the blog at http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/1250332025.

    The articles would also be posted every Monday in the Chengdu Daily, a sponsor of the blog, said Zhang, adding the blog would continue for the panda's lifetime.

    Few people knew how hard it was for a baby panda, which looked like a pink baby mouse, to grow into a black-and-white adult, said Lan Jingchao, deputy director of the center's administrative department.

    "The blog also opens a window for the public on the hard work of our researchers and keepers," said Lan.

    The cub was born from the fourth pregnancy of Eryatou, meaning "Second Girl" in Chinese, but all of her previous cubs aborted.

    "Though it's first time Eryatou has raised offspring, she is doing well. The baby has gained 95 grams since birth, weighing 225grams now," said Hou Guifang, the panda keeper.

    "We have tried out best to record all the interesting or important moments involving mother and daughter, like the first breast-feeding, and put them on to the blog," said Hou.

    Zhong Wen, a reporter of the Chengdu Daily who has covered panda news for five years, is the blog writer.

    "It is very interesting, but hard to write the stories in the first person from the angle of a panda, but I will try my best to make readers know how cute these pandas are," said Zhong.

    The new blog received a warm welcome from the viewers. An Internet user named Wanning wrote: "Congratulations on coming into the world and there are so many wonderful things waiting for you."

    The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center plans to solicit names for the cub through the blog.

    An estimated 1,590 pandas exist worldwide, mainly in China's Sichuan and Shanxi provinces, and they usually live for around 25 years. Enditem