GIANT PANDA TENDS TO HER CUB AT A BREEDING CENTRE IN CHENGDU, 2001-09-19 (photo)

A giant panda tends to her cub which was born with the help of artificial insemination at the giant panda breeding research centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province, September 19, 2001. Since the first cub was artificially conceived in 1963, more than 210 have been born in China and 20 overseas. But only half have survived to adulthood. Chinese scientists are fighting the main cause of the giant panda's decline - the rapid destruction of the natural bomboo forests. Only about 1,000 pandas survive in the wild. Picture taken September 19, 2001. REUTERS/Guang Niu GN/PB