Can dead giant pandas have babies? The answer will probably be "yes" after Chinese scientists set up a special gene pool next year.

Approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the gene pool will be established beginning from January, 2004, at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in Sichuan Province in southwest China.

The entire gene pool is like a "gene bank", which stores sperm, ova, embryos, cells, DNA and other products, said Zhang Zhihe, director of the base, on Wednesday.

The "gene bank" can save the genetic material of giant pandas hundreds of years after they die, which could possibly grow into new giant pandas, Zhang said.

Scientists expected that the gene pool could begin operation in five years, when the artificial breeding of giant pandas can begin.

Captive giant pandas do not easily mate or raise cubs. The propagation rate and mating rate were lower than 20 percent from the 1960s to 1980s. Less than 30 percent of giant pandas had babies and less than 30 percent of baby pandas survived, said Zhang Hemin, a giant panda specialist.

Giant pandas are one of the most ancient and endangered animals in the world. At present, there are only 1,000 giant pandas living in the wild and 140 artificially-bred worldwide. Most wild giant pandas live in the mountains around the Sichuan Basin.

(Xinhua News Agency January 1, 2004)