Rent for Chinese panda drops in U.S. zoo

BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Chinese media) -- California's San Diego Zoo will pay 500,000

U.S. dollars annually for the rent and research of Chinese giant pandas, half

the amount agreed upon in a 1996 contract between the zoo and the China Wildlife

Conservation Association (CWCA).

The CWCA said Wednesday the San Diego Zoo had been trying to negotiate a

drop in recent years and a renewed contract would be signed Thursday.

The new contract will allow the San Diego Zoo to accommodate Baiyun and

Gaogao for another five years.

The annual rent funds the restoration of the Wolong Nature Reserve, which

was seriously damaged in the massive earthquake that struck southwest China on

May 12.

Under the previous contract, the San Diego Zoo paid 1 million U.S. dollars

a year per each adult panda.

The rent for each panda varies, an official with the Sate Forestry

Administration of China said. Other zoos in the U.S. might follow suit after the

change, he added.

About 27 Chinese pandas are living in zoos of the U.S., Australia, Thailand

and Spain, according to the Administration.