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Giant pandas entering adolescence at the National Giant Panda Reproduction Research Centre are to watch a video featuring pandas having sex in the hope it will stimulate reproduction, Xinhua reported.

Researchers at the centre in Sichuan said young giant pandas in captivity will be shown a video every morning and evening featuring the animals mating both in the wild and in captivity.

Researchers hope this daily screening will stimulate and encourage the pandas, particularly the males, to mate.

The centre's director, Zhang Heming, said: 'The purpose of this sexual education is to arouse the male pandas' sexual desires and raise their reproductive capabilities to save this endangered species from extinction.'

Only about 1,000 giant pandas are left - mostly in the forests and mountain regions of Sichuan province.

Along with a loss of natural habitat due to human activity, one of the reasons for the animal's near-extinction is its low rate of reproduction.

Researchers said of the pandas in captivity, only 10 per cent of the males have ever mated and only 30 per cent of female pandas fall pregnant.

Along with the watching of videos, researchers will also encourage the male and female pandas to have more social interaction and engage in more physical activities. Researchers believe the panda's level of physical activity has a direct effect on its libido.

Researchers are hopeful the measures will increase the panda population. Last year, the centre's male giant panda, Ximeng, mated and sired offspring after receiving sex education.

This year, Didi, a six-year-old panda, increased his sexual activity after undergoing a similar programme.



Sex-shy pandas get video lessons in the art of mating