CHINA BREAKS GROUND FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL CENTRE FOR GIANT PANDAS

By Ng Che Yean
SICHUAN, May 5 (Bernama) -- The world's first centre for disease prevention
and control for giant pandas broke ground on Wednesday in Dujiangyan city,
Sichuan, the China Daily newspaper has reported.

The project, which is expected to accommodate 40 pandas, is expected to
finish by 2012.

Aside from rescuing wild giant pandas and doing research on disease
prevention and control for endangered species, the centre will also provide a
comfortable home for old pandas, according to Zhang Hemin, director of the China
Conservation and Research Centre.

Giant pandas are among the world's most endangered species. Statistics from
the State Forestry Administration show that about 1,600 pandas live in the wild,
while another 300 live in captivity in zoos around the world.

Chinese experts have been successful in breeding giant pandas over the past
two decades, which has increased their population to 315.

"The facility will also prevent cross-infections between pandas and human
beings because we sometimes have to take them to human hospitals for treatment,"
added Zhang, who is also the head of the administration for Wolong Nature
Reserve (WNR).

The centre is located at Shiqiao village in Qingchengshan township in
Dujiangyan. It covers an area of about 51 hectares and is expected to cost about
210 million yuan (US$32.3 million).

The funds for the project come from Hong Kong, including 130 million yuan
provided by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Regional Government.