(Yicai) Feb. 22 -- A Chinese wildlife nonprofit has widened its cooperation network to two zoos in Madrid, Spain, and San Diego, the United States, to help save the threatened species of giant pandas.

The China Wildlife Conservation Association inked deals with the Madrid Zoo Aquarium and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance that runs the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Xinhua News Agency reported today.

The institutions will focus on preventing and treating major diseases for pandas, conserving the habitat of the bear species endemic to China, enhancing monitoring, and helping to build a national panda park in China. Moreover, they will advance cooperation over the protection of flagship and umbrella species via a new international academic exchange platform.

The association is also negotiating with the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C. and Austria's Vienna Zoo over a new round of cooperation.

Making sure that pandas who live abroad are healthy and safe is the most crucial premise and foundation for international cooperation, a source from the CWCA said. Routine health monitoring and physical examination for international pandas will be further enhanced this year, guaranteeing annual checkups. Chinese experts will be sent abroad to take care of animals who are unwell or about to give birth to a cub or are nursing one, the insider added.

Before this, China has teamed with countries, including Spain, the US, and Austria, on panda conservation, breeding 28 cubs.

Editor: Emmi Laine