China has asked members of the public to come up with names for 18 baby pandas and vote for the naughtiest, most voracious and sleepiest of them all!

 

The naming of the cubs is a customary tradition when they’re weaned and eventually released into their ‘nursery garden’ in February, Reuters reported. The news agency cited one of China’s largest Web portals Sina.com

 

 

"The names should be civilized, standard, creative and able to highlight the panda's character as a national treasure," Sina said on a special page (http://news.sina.com.cn/z/pandas2006/index.shtml) where ideas can be submitted and votes cast. Photos and profiles for each cub are posted on the page. However, no English service is available for now. The deadline for votes is February 5.

 

The 18 cubs from 11 mothers were born between July and September. They’ve been raised in captivity at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

 

"Baby No. 5 was far from handsome at birth but he's quite sturdy now and likes to bully his twin sister. Plus, he's a big sleeper," reads one description. No. 6 is a round-cheeked beauty with "watery eyes" who loves playing with people, according to Sina.com.

 

Thirty-four pandas were born in captivity in China last year but there were four infant mortalities.

 

The giant panda is one of the world's most endangered species and is found only in China. An estimated 1,600 wild pandas live in nature reserves in Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces, with 217 in captivity.

 

(Shanghai Daily January 25, 2007)