A female giant panda which was found on January 13 in a Chengdu suburb, is now under intensive care at the Chengdu Giant Panda Research Center 80 kilometers away from the capital city of Sichuan Province.

Researchers at the center said that the giant panda is still in a critical condition as it is suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition. However, they are confident that the panda's life can be saved, and it will take at least six months for the panda to completely recover.

The panda is about 10 years old, weighs 53 kilograms and has raised children, the researchers said.

The giant panda was found in a coma Wednesday night by a farmer in a village, Hongkou Township in the city of Dujiangyan, 70 kilometers from Chengdu. The village is inside a 43,000-hactare nature reserve.

Experts estimated that there are about 50 to 70 giant pandas living in the virgin forests in the reserve. In recent years, local farmers have found several pandas in these forests.

Giant pandas are considered to be one of the world's most endangered species. Only about 1,000 are known to exist, most of which inhabit Sichuan, southwest China.

It is believed that about three million years ago, giant pandas roamed most parts of China, Viet Nam, Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries. Over time, however, mountainous areas in Sichuan became their homes.

Almost no giant pandas have been seen in and around big cities for over 100 years.