Panda breeding centre planned for south China
Updated
![Giant pandas in Sichuan province are being evacuated after last month's earthquake. [Reuters]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/china_panda_090606_rtr.jpg "Giant pandas in Sichuan province are being evacuated after last month's earthquake. [Reuters]")
Giant pandas in Sichuan province are being evacuated after last month's earthquake. [Reuters]
South China may get its first panda breeding centre, taking over some of the animals driven from their home by last month's powerful earthquake in the country's far southwest.
The China Daily reports the Xiangjiang Safari Park in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, is applying to the State Forestry Administration for permission to breed the endangered animals.
Currently only Beijing, Fujian province in the southeast, and Sichuan province in the southwest have panda breeding centres.
Giant pandas in Sichuan's Wolong nature reserve, which is just 30 kilometres from the epicentre of the May 12 magnitude-8.0 earthquake, are being evacuated due to post-quake dangers and food shortages.
The China Daily reports five of the pandas arrived at Xiangjiang Safari Park on Thursday, bringing the total number there to 10.
