Panda cubs pose with sponsors of the Wolong Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province before they were moved outdoors in early February.

The 18 weanling coddles, all about six months old, will live together in a garden at the Wolong center for half a year before they are separated. They will then be trained and selected for an experimental program designed to release captive-bred pandas to the wild.

The Wolong center saw births of 19 panda cubs in 12 deliveries last year, with 17 survivals, a historical record. In addition, it saved and bred a cub delivered by a wild panda last August.

Giant pandas, only found in China, are known as "living fossils" and about 1,590 still live in the wilds of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.

Currently, about 200 pandas are being bred in captivity worldwide, over half of which are living at the Wolong center.