A double blessing: twin panda cubs bring joy to Berlin

Posters of giant panda are pictured at Zoo Berlin in Berlin, Germany, Dec. 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

"Like other giant bears, giant pandas are born almost naked, deaf, blind, and pink. The typical black and white panda markings only develop later," said the zoo, adding that it will be some time before they are big and strong enough to explore their surroundings.

BERLIN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Drink, cuddle, sleep, and repeat -- this is the life of two tiny newborn panda cubs with their doting mother Meng Meng, a spectacle that has enveloped Berlin Zoo in a blissful baby bubble for the past five days.

The wave of joy and tenderness began last Thursday afternoon when Meng Meng, the zoo's 11-year-old female giant panda, gave birth to the twin cubs. Since then, the newborns have been lovingly nurtured by their mother, alongside the experienced panda team at Berlin Zoo and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

"Panda cubs are born without a functioning immune system and are therefore very vulnerable in the first few days," said biologist and panda curator Florian Sicks. "They can easily catch a cold as they are not yet able to maintain their body temperature on their own. The mother's milk provides them with an important first defense, and ensures that the young animals become stronger."

Staff members measure one of the giant panda twins at Zoo Berlin in Berlin, capital of Germany, Aug. 22, 2024. Meng Meng, an 11-year-old female giant panda at Zoo Berlin, has given birth to twins, zoo authorities announced on Friday. (Zoo Berlin/Handout via Xinhua)

During the first 14 days, the cubs feed around eight to 12 times a day. Thanks to Meng Meng's milk, the newborns in Berlin have already regained their birth weight, plus a few grams. The zoo's latest press release reports that the firstborn cub now weighs 180 grams, up from 169 grams at birth, while the second-born has grown from 136 grams to 145 grams.

"As is usual with many mammals, giant panda cubs initially lose weight in the first few days after birth," the zoo said, adding that the increase has sparked cautious optimism among everyone involved, "as the first few days are crucial."

Biologist and panda curator Florian Sicks speaks to media at Zoo Berlin in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)

"In the first month and especially in the first 14 days, cub mortality is at its highest and is around a quarter higher than in any other age group," Sicks said. "We are delighted to have two experienced colleagues from the Chengdu Panda Base at our side to look after the cubs ... they have much more experience and are better able to assess the cubs' development."

According to Zoo and Tierpark Director Andreas Knieriem, in the wild, a mother panda can only raise one cub. When twins are born, one of the cubs usually does not survive. "However, we have the opportunity to save both cubs," he said.

To ensure both cubs grow up as naturally as possible -- receiving mother's milk and maternal care, the twins alternate time with Meng Meng, said Zoo veterinarian Franziska Sutter. She is also a trained pediatric nurse and has experience on the infant ward.

Staff members measure one of the giant panda twins at Zoo Berlin in Berlin, capital of Germany, Aug. 22, 2024. Meng Meng, an 11-year-old female giant panda at Zoo Berlin, has given birth to twins, zoo authorities announced on Friday. (Zoo Berlin/Handout via Xinhua)

She explained that when one cub is with the mother, the other rests in the incubator. When the resting cub wakes up and is ready to nurse, it returns to Meng Meng. "This ensures that both cubs form a bond with their mother and are supplied with the all-important mother's milk," she said.

"Like other giant bears, giant pandas are born almost naked, deaf, blind, and pink. The typical black and white panda markings only develop later," said the zoo, adding that it will be some time before they are big and strong enough to explore their surroundings. Until then, they will not be introduced to the public.

However, the twins' father, 14-year-old Jiao Qing, can still be seen in the Panda Garden of the zoo, as male giant pandas are not involved in rearing cubs.

Giant panda "Meng Meng" is seen at Zoo Berlin in Berlin, capital of Germany, May 28, 2020. (Photo by Binh Truong/Xinhua)

Meng Meng arrived from China in 2017. In August 2019, she gave birth to the first-ever twin panda cubs, Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, in Germany. The new twin cubs were born after an artificial insemination procedure on March 26, following intensive observation and careful preparation by an international team of experts.

The first signs of a successful pregnancy emerged on Aug. 11, when an ultrasound detected two heartbeats. Just 11 days later, the twins were born, following a gestation period of 149 days.

"Without protective measures, the giant panda would most likely already be extinct," Knieriem said. "As there are only fewer than 2,000 giant pandas left in their natural habitat, every cub that grows up healthy counts."