China launches live panda broadcasts online

China has launched a website that enables Internet users worldwide to watch live round-the-clock broadcasts of giant pandas.

The site, ipanda.com, went live on Tuesday.

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

Program directors will pick 11 cameras that capture the best footage for broadcast online, according to sources with the CNTV.

Apart from live broadcasts, ipanda.com will also offer a new 30-minute panda-themed program each day and panda documentaries produced by CNTV, all on demand.

These programs can also be watched via mobile terminals.

The website, which offers both Chinese and English-language services, started test-posting of video clips on June 24.

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.