A South Korean zoo recently announced in a video posted on YouTube the birth of female giant panda twins last Friday, July 7. This birth is a historical one given that the two are the first giant panda twins to be born in the country. Their birth has ignited an outpouring of excitement among the people on the internet.
Giant Panda Twins in South Korea
The giant panda twins' mother, ai Bao, was videographed rolling around in her cage while she was in labor and before giving birth to the two female giant pandas.
The management of the zoo revealed that the first twin weighed 180 grams, while the second twin was 140 grams. In a statement cited by CNA, the management said that both mother and baby pandas are in good health. For now, Ai Bao is taking excellent care of her cubs.
Prior to this birth, Ai Bao also gave birth to her firstborn, Fu Bao, in July 2020. The older sister is the first giant panda to be born in South Korea via natural breeding.
Since the twins' birth was uploaded, it has received hundreds of thousands of views and reactions from viewers who were gushing about the cubs, The Daily Tribune reported
One even commented a congratulatory message to the giant panda family as well as to the management and gave thanks to the staff who take care of the bears. Chinese President Xi Jinping gifted Ai Bao and the giant padas' father, Le Bao, who both arrived in South Korea in 2016.
Giant Pandas in Other Countries
Through its "panda diplomacy," China has deployed many giant pandas to different countries to further its foreign policy arms. The country usually just loans giant pandas to foreign zoos and requires them to return any offspring after a few years to join their breeding program.
South Korea is among those countries that received giant pandas from China. According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), another country is the United States, which just recently returned 22-year-old Ya Ya who once stayed at Memphis Zoo in Tennessee. Her male companion, however, died of heart disease earlier this year, which left the US with seven giant pandas.
Some of the pandas in the US are Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, which are presently held in the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo. Xiao Qi Ji, their fourth cub, is also with them in the zoo while his elder siblings have already gone to China. They will be joined by Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji by the end of the year.
Ya Lun and Xi Lun, twins, are on loan at Zoo Atlanta and will return to China in early 2024. Lun Lun and Yang Yang, their parents, are scheduled to return in late 2024.
But aside from these two countries that received giant pandas from China, other nations who were loaned with the bears also include Japan, Russia, Singapore, Scotland, Qatar, Spain, France, and Australia.
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