A total of 42 adult pandas and cubs were living overseas in 12 countries as of June 2014, data from a national survey on giant pandas showed on Saturday.

China has established collaborative research on giant pandas with 17 zoos from 12 countries, including Japan, the United States, Austria, Thailand, Spain, Australia, Britain, France, Singapore, Canada, Belgium and Malaysia, according to the survey conducted by the State Forestry Administration.

There were 1,864 giant pandas living in the wild in China by the end of 2013, which is 268 or 16.8 percent more than the previous survey period ending in 2003, according to the survey.

A giant panda lies on the grassland. [File Photo: sina.com.cn]