July 24, 2009 Panda born from artificial insemination Play video

(NECN/CCTV) - Chinese state television reported on Thursday the birth of a new panda, conceived from sperm which had been cryogenically frozen.

Chinese state television reported that the baby panda had been born Wednesday.

Scientists in China are hopeful that continued success with this method will help ensure the survival of this popular but highly endangered animal.

They believe the successful birth of a rare panda conceived through artificial insemination using frozen sperm cells will help the genetic pool.

Staff at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan Province inseminated You-you (pronounced "Yo-yo") in March with panda sperm from a panda named Lu-lu.

That sperm had been frozen in the center's sperm bank.

Scientists hope that the center can stockpile enough sperm in the sperm bank to create a broad genetic pool for the highly endangered animals.

This genetic pool would be used to ensure their genetic diversity, essential if the small number of animals alive today are to avoid becoming too inbred.

The trick has been to successfully fertilize panda eggs using the unfrozen sperm.

Staff said that they have found ways to improve the effectiveness of the process - which led to this successful birth.

The baby panda is the 7th panda born in the center, and the 10th to be born in the world this year.