The China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) released a report that the giant panda Hai Zi had given birth to twins on June 22.
The Associated Press reported that the giant panda delivered her twins at the Ya’an Bi Feng Xia Base of CCRCGP. The first cub was still with Hai Zi because she wouldn’t release it while the other cub was already with the CCRGCP staff. It is dangerous to take the cub by force from the aggressive mother so the staff let her be. Hai Zi mated this year with males Bai Yang and Yi Bao.
One of the cubs was confirmed to be a female weighing 79.2 grams. The twins were born 10 minutes apart.
Hai Zi is the second giant panda that have given birth at the the Ya’an Bi Feng Xia Base of CCRCGP. The first one was Zhen Zhen from the San Diego Zoo last May 4.
China is very happy about the birth of these twins as once again it proves that their breeding programs are successful in preserving one of the world’s endangered species.
This is also great news for the environmental and endangered species advocates as giant pandas are one of the endangered species. The giant pandas are very easy to distinguish as they have black patches around their eyes, ears, and across the body. They mainly feed on bamboo but can live eating grasses, wild tubers, and birds. Those in the zoos live with honey, fish, yams, bananas, and other prepared foods.
Most of them can be found in the Sinchuan province of China but they are now driven out of their natural habitat because of deforestation, farming, and other developments. There may be about 3,000 of them left worldwide.
