China launches 24-hour giant panda Internet channel

Panda lovers across the world will be able to enjoy live 24-hour HD Internet broadcasts of daily activities of the cuddly animals at China's premier panda breeding facility from Tuesday.

China Network Television (CNTV) has installed 28 high-definition video cameras in five gardens at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China's Sichuan Province to capture the daily activities of more than 80 giant pandas currently there.

Programme directors will pick 11 cameras that capture the best footage to be broadcast on the site, ipanda.com, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Apart from live broadcasts, ipanda.com will also offer a 30-minute panda-themed programme each day and various documentaries on the endangered species. These programmes can also be watched via mobile terminals.

The website, which offers both Chinese and English services, started posting video clips on June 24 as a test and has since attracted nearly 15,000 Internet users to visit and leave comments.

Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. About 1,600 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan, while more than 300 live in captivity.