Bao Bao is very cute.
China has introduced six giant pandas into a "semi-wild" environmenty. This is claimed to be one of the most ambitious attempts so far to build up the endangered population with captive-bred bears.
Er Shun had twin panda cubs.
Er Shun is one of the two giant pandas on loan to our zoo from China.
The little cubs have their eyes still closed, but they are wiggling around.
They are demonstrating all the right behaviours. Both cubs are suckling/nursing from their mom.Er Shun is forming a close bond with both cubs. The zoo is very pleased, but this is still a critical time for the twins.
This is very good news.
Pandas are hard to breed, especially in captivity.
From the Toronto Zoo Newsletter:
Er-Shun gave birth to twins, and she is not aware that her cubs are being swapped. She thinks she is raising only one baby. In the wild a panda mom will not look after twins. The next couple of months will be crucial for their survival
The little pandas are both doing very well. Mom is taking care of both of them now, but has a little trouble carrying them both at the same time.
The twin cubs now weigh 5.55 kg and 4.85 kg. Both continue to become more active and playful, often play-wrestling with one another. Both are trying hard to walk and are improving daily. Their noses are almost fully blackened and their fur continues to become fuller and fuzzier and their teeth continue to come in.
You are so lucky to have these little pandas in your zoo.
I am happy that they are doing well, and that they were swapped so successfully.
I truly love pandas. I am so happy that the little ones are doing well.
The panda cubs have names now.
The female is Jia YueYue
The male is Jia Panapan
Jia Panapan is the top image.
and Jia yueYue is the lower image.
Panda Facts
- Female giant pandas are only receptive to breeding once a year for a period of 24 to 72 hours
- A giant panda is born pink, hairless, blind and is 1/900th the size of its mother (about the size of a stick of butter)
- 99% of a giant panda's diet consists of bamboo
- A giant panda's digestive system is more similar to that of a carnivore than a herbivore, yet they have adapted to a vegetarian diet of bamboo
- A giant panda may eat 12-38 kg of bamboo a day
- In the wild, a giant panda spends 10 to 16 hours a day foraging and eating. The rest of its time is spent mostly sleeping and resting
- Unique physical features that help pandas to hold, crush and eat bamboo are broad, flat molar teeth and an enlarged wrist bone that functions as an opposable thumb
- Giant pandas do not hibernate like other bears do
- Giant pandas make a bleating sound similar to the sound a lamb or young goat (kid) would make
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They are very cute.
The names of the first Canadian-born twin panda cubs — Jia Panpan (which translated means “Canadian Hope”) and Jia Yueyue (“Canadian Joy”) — were unveiled Monday at the Toronto Zoo.
Thank you for the information. Sadly I am not well enough to be able to visit them at the zoo. I am enjoying the pictures posted on Givnology.
You are so lucky to see these cute little panda cubs in your zoo.
I almost should make a trip to come and see them. It is wonderful that the mother accepted both.
