Panda Pair Welcomes Twins at U.S. Zoo, in First since 1987
A giant panda gave birth to twins at an American zoo this week -- the first panda double birth in the U.S. in 26 years.
Mama Lun Lun and her cubs, which were delivered Monday, are doing well, according to Zoo Atlanta in the southern state of Georgia.
"We are fortunate that both were born a healthy weight and strong," the zoo said on its website, which boasts a "pandacam" which allows the public to get a glimpse of the happy family.
Lun Lun, who is 15 years old, was artificially inseminated and is described as a "fantastic mom."
The siblings are being supplemented with formula as zoo keepers attempt to swap them in and out of their mother's arms.
The proud papa is Yang Yang, also 15. Together, he and Lun Lun have three other offspring, including older brothers Xi Lan, 4, and Po, 2.
Their first little one, Mei Lan, was born at Zoo Atlanta in September 2006 and has been living at China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding since 2010.
The birth of the newborns is seen as a feat since fewer than 1,600 giant pandas are believed to remain in the wild, according to the zoo.
What's more, they are the first twins to be born in the United States since 1987, it said.
"We're thrilled to welcome Lun Lun's and Yang Yang's twins," said Raymond King, president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta.
"This is a success we share with all of our fellow zoological organizations working to understand and protect this iconic species, and we share our joy with our local community and with our colleagues in China."
The cubs are expected to make their first public appearance in the fall.
The "pandacam" can be viewed at:
http://www.zooatlanta.org/home/panda_cam
Source: Agence France Presse
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