VOINews, Berlin: Berlin Zoo announced on Friday (23/8) that Meng Meng, an 11-year-old female giant panda, has successfully given birth to twin panda cubs. The much-anticipated births occurred on Thursday (22/8) at 13:03 and 14:19 local time in the Panda Garden of Berlin Zoo.
Both panda cubs are in good health and are being carefully tended to by their mother, Meng Meng, and the experienced panda care team. The twin cubs weigh 169 grams and 136 grams, respectively, and measure approximately 14 cm in length.
"Like other giant bears, giant pandas are born almost hairless, deaf, blind, and with a pinkish hue. The characteristic black and white markings of pandas develop later. The gender of the cubs is yet to be determined," the zoo revealed in its press release.
Given that giant pandas typically raise only one cub when twins are born, Berlin Zoo has decided to actively assist Meng Meng in raising her cubs by working closely with experts from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China.
The first signs of a successful pregnancy were detected on August 11 when an ultrasound revealed two heartbeats. Eleven days later, the twin cubs were born following a 149-day gestation period.
"We are delighted to have two experienced colleagues from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding with us to help care for these panda cubs. With around 20 births per year, they have more experience and are better able to assess the development of panda cubs," said Florian Sicks, a biologist and panda curator at Berlin Zoo.
Meng Meng arrived from China in 2017. In August 2019, she gave birth to her first set of twin panda cubs, Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, in Germany. The twin pandas were sent back to China last December.
Meng Meng underwent artificial insemination on March 26 following intensive observation and careful preparation by an international team of experts.
The zoo noted that the now-experienced mother instinctively knew what to do after giving birth. "I am relieved that both cubs were born healthy. These tiny pandas appear lively, and Meng Meng is taking excellent care of them," said Andreas Knieriem, Director of Berlin Zoo and Tierpark./ANTARA/VOI
