Panda 'Porn' Helps Stave Off Extinction

The Giant Panda is an endangered species, with an estimated 3,000 pandas living in the wild and just over 180 living in captivity in mainland China as of August last year. Now, scientists are using a more provocative strategy to boost a panda's libido as well as the species' population.

There was a time when the birth of just one panda cub was cause for celebration but thanks to better breeding techniques, China�s Wolong Nature Reserve is over-run with bears.

The cubs are like naughty kids, says Han Hongying, the reserve�s head trainer.

Eighteen pandas born were on the panda reserve last year, which may not seem like much, but that�s three times as many babies born in Wolong in 2004 Pandas may love to wrestle one another, but they�re reluctant to mate in captivity.

So Chinese scientists stepped in, creating frisky movies of other pandas mating and then showing the films to male bears in hopes of getting them "in the mood." When this panda "porn" doesn�t work, the scientists resort to artificial insemination.

"We�ve conquered all of the major problems associated with panda reproduction," explains fertility expert Zhang Hemin.

Trainers are also better at dealing with twins in the wild -- only one cub usually survives with its mother's help -- but here, humans nurture the second twin.