After a gap of 10 years, the 19 year old giant panda finally becomes Parent!! This giant panda gives birth to Twins. Thus, achieving the distinction of being the oldest known panda to give birth in Hong Kong.
As per Hong Kong’s Ocean Park spokesperson, these cubs were born just before Ying Ying’s 19th birthday on Thursday, which is equivalent to about 57 years in human terms.
About The Twins
According to CNN report, the female & male cubs weighed 122 grams (4.2 ounces) & 112 grams (almost 4 ounces). The newborns were tiny, pink, and palm-sized.
They were born after years of unsuccessful mating attempts by Ying Ying with her companion Le Le, who were gifted to the city by the Chinese government at 2007.
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‘This birth is exceptionally rare, especially considering Ying Ying is the oldest giant panda on record to have successfully given birth for the first time.’ said ocean park’s chairman Paulo Pong.
Moreover, the park chairman also revealed, that in this stage, the cubs are delicate in nature, especially the female cub, who currently deals with lower body temperature, weaker cries, and reduced food intake.
Notably, Ying Ying had experienced several miscarriages prior to this successful birth. ‘Giant pandas have a notoriously difficult time reproducing, especially as they age.’ the statement further explained.
Meanwhile, Beijing has worked for decades to increase the panda population, establishing large reserves across mountain ranges to prevent their extinction. Despite the challenges of breeding pandas in captivity, their numbers in the wild have recently increased after years of decline.
(With Inputs From ANI)
