China's wild panda population has exploded in the past 40 years thanks to a push to protect the vulnerable species.

The numbers of giant pandas living in the wild in the country has increased by 750 - from 1,114 in the 1970s to 1,864 now, according to data from the State Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The department says this is down to a rise in the number of giant panda nature reserves, which now number 67 across China.

Rise in number of giant pandas in China

In 2016 the status of pandas went from "endangered" to "vulnerable", the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) determined.

And thanks to their burgeoning population they are now even further from extinction, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration said.


A total of 66.8% of China's wild giant pandas now live in the nature reserves, and 53.8% of the total giant panda population.

Image: Eight out of 10 panda cubs born at the Chengdu panda breeding centre were twins. Pic: CCTV

Image: There are 1,864 pandas living in the wild in China. Pic: CCTV

Giant pandas are notoriously bad at breeding, with females only able to conceive for about two or three days around ovulation.

In captivity it is even more difficult as a pair is rarely compatible - meaning the male often does not know how to mount the female.

However, with an expansion of the nature reserves the solitary bears have been left to mate of their own accord, finding each other through calls and scents, resulting in dozens of cubs each year.

Image: A total of 66.8% of China's wild giant pandas live in nature reserves. Pic: CCTV

Image: Pandas do not mate well in captivity. Pic: CCTV

And twins have also become common for giant pandas, with eight out of 10 cubs born this year at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding being twins.

A total of 70% of giant panda cubs are now twins.

Giant panda Ya Yun gave birth to a pair - one boy, one girl - on 5 June at the reserve in southwest China's Sichuan province.

Image: Pandas find their mates by following calls and scents in the wild. Pic: CCTV

Image: Pandas went from endangered to vulnerable in 2016. Pic: CCTV

Since then cubs have arrived every month, keeping the breeders busy.

"In general, most of the giant panda mothers can hold their cubs in their arms", said Liu Yuliang, a researcher at the breeding base.

"But there are a few mothers who don't take care of their cubs.

"Then our breeders should take the cubs out in a timely manner and put them in the incubator and feed them."