China's major brown panda research center registers increasing panda population

XI'AN, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Research Center for Qinling Giant Panda in northwest China's Shaanxi Province on Tuesday reported an increasing number of captive giant pandas this year.

The number of total captive pandas at the center has reached 49, after seven new cubs, five males and two females, were born this year, according to the research center.

The new cubs were born in August and September, and they are all in good health.

Established in 2018, the Research Center for Qinling Giant Panda is one of China's major giant panda breeding and research bases.

The Qinling giant panda, also known as the brown panda, is a subspecies of giant panda first recognized in 2005. It has a smaller and rounder skull, shorter snout and less fur than the more familiar Sichuan subspecies. The subspecies is primarily found in the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province.