No, it's not some strange creature from outer space - it's a giant panda cub. In fact, it's the heaviest cub ever born in captivity.

Six-year-old giant panda Zhang Ka delivered the baby at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre in China.The cub weighed a very tiny 218 grams but this is apparently heavy in panda terms. Most are born at between 83 and 190 grams.

'It is very rare for them to be even near 200 grams,' the Xinhua news agency said. This made things rather tough for mum unfortunately.

'The whole process lasted about 34 hours and was the longest in the history of panda reproduction,' Zhang Hemin, head of the Wolong centre, said of the birth. But despite the protracted proceedings, both mother and baby are now doing well. 

The giant panda is one of the world's most exotic and endangered species and can be found only in China. It is extremely difficult to breed them in captivity - making this youngster particularly special.