In 1997 a study concluded that a total of 300 captive Giant Pandas were needed to create a self sustaining population.

Last year when a total of 32 surviving panda cubs born this target was breached.

Whilst this is a massive success to the pandas and the panda experts, it was achieved at the risk of inbreeding, as most captive born pandas are descended from only 4 pandas.

Starting this year only the most distant related pandas will be breed. This means that for the "China Giant Panda Protection and Research Centre (CGPPRC) only 10 Giant Panda Females will be mated this year, which will result in only 8-10 giant panda cubs bring born.

It is also reported that the "Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding" is also perform a similar breeding programme.