The San Diego Zoo in the United States has joined relief efforts to aid a giant panda base in southwest China's Sichuan Province, which was hit hard by the devastating May 12 earthquake, a US animal conservationist said Friday.

Donations to a relief fund for the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong can be made at the San Diego Zoo's giant panda conservation center or online at www.sandiegozoo.org, said Dr. Ron Swaisgood, co-leader of the conservation center at the San Diego Zoo, about 80 miles (128 km) south of Los Angeles.

"Our colleagues at the Wolong center have already shown tremendous heroism in their efforts to save the giant pandas in the wake of damage done by the earthquake," said Swaisgood.

The Wolong center was only 30 km from the epicenter of the 8.0-magnitude quake on May 12, which has claimed more than 60,000 lives.

A total of 14 giant pandas have been removed from the Wolong center after the quake because of shelter damages and food shortages.

Six were taken by truck earlier Friday and eight others were removed on May 18 to two other giant panda conservation centers, which were less affected by the quake.

Two of the 53 giant pandas kept by the Wolong center were injured in the quake and two are still missing.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2008)