Huan Huan, a giant Panda in France, gave birth to twin baby Pandas on Monday. China loaned the Panda to France which is now in Beauval Zoo. The Panda birthed two female cubs earlier today. The zoo staff described the cubs as “very lively, pink and plump”. The rare moment was definitely a call for celebration.
Huan Huan means ‘happy’ or ‘joyous’ in Chinese language. According to the officials, the mother and both the babies are healthy.They further stated that the mother licked and cleaned the babies after they were born.
Are pandas close to extinction?
Pandas have a severe threat against human and the world is considered vulnerable for them. World Wildlife Fund informed that there are only 1864 giant pandas living in China. As an effort to protect them from extinction, China loans Giant Pandas to different countries including the United States. It will not only increase the number of the species but also increase its geopolitical relations.
Pandas naturally have a reserved nature. Additionally, female Pandas ovulate once a year only which makes their reproduction harder. Zoos and breeding centers in China opt for expert intervention and artificial insemination to enhance their reproduction rate. As otherwise the species was getting closer to extinction at a fast speed. According to experts, Pandas don’t frequently get in the mood to reproduce. Some of them also face difficulty in understanding how to mate.
Birth of Twin Baby Pandas in France
The zoo made an official announcement on the website about the cubs birth time as 1:03 am and 1:10 am respectively. The cubs are quite tiny in size and weigh only one-third of a pound each. It further added the cubs are a result of breeding efforts started in March this year.
The associate director of the zoo, Delphine Delord classified the birth of cubs as ‘exceptional’ and labeled the baby pandas as ‘magnificent’. Twitter profile of the zoo was bombarded with congratulatory messages and updates regarding the cubs on Monday. The public specifically thanked the staff of the zoo for their efforts in helping the Pandas reproduce. At the time of birth, Chinese vets were present and took care of Huan Huan during her labor.
The zoo have nicknamed the babies as ‘Fleur de Coton’ and ‘Petite Neige’ which means cotton flower and little snow respectively. The zoo admin further added that the babies will get their official names after 100 days as per Chinese tradition.
China loaned Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, the Panda couple to France in 2012. In 2017, the pair gave birth to their first cubs. One out of the pair died right after the birth. They named the living cub as Yuan Meng who is a male. It was the first Panda cub born in France. The officials and experts celebrated its birth as the reproduction rate of Panda bears is quite low.
Experts and professionals think it is essential to protect and preserve the natural habitat of Pandas so in the coming years they can live freely out of captivity.
