China: The first panda cub of the year has been born in Sichuan province.

State newspapers today reported the female cub had survived the crucial first three days of life, and had put on weight.

She was born to a 13-year-old giant panda named Ji Ni, the oldest to deliver a first cub.

The female weighed just 3.2 ounces at birth, but had since gained seven grams. She's being reared at the China Panda Protection and Research Centre in Wolong.

The panda is one of the rarest animals in the world, with only about 1590 living in the wild in China.