The oldest ever giant panda mother welcomed twins into the world for the first time in Ocean Park Hong Kong.
Ying Ying, 19, gave birth to a male and a female “after over five hours of labor,” according to Ocean Park.
In a post on social media, Ocean Park shared that it is “delighted to welcome the birth of the first ever giant panda twins in Hong Kong!”
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Over the years, the park has tried to successfully breed pandas. Female giant pandas only ovulate once a year, which makes the birth of these twins even more special.
The cubs were born on August 15 in Ocean Park, just one day before Ying Ying’s 19th birthday. She is the world’s oldest panda mother for the first time.
Twin pandas were born to first-time mother Ying Ying at Ocean Park in Hong Kong this week. (Ocean Park Hong Kong)
“This birth is a true rarity, especially given that Ying Ying is the oldest giant panda to ever give birth for the first time,” the park said in a social media post.
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“As a first-time mother, Ying Ying was understandably nervous throughout the process. She spent a lot of her time lying on the ground and writhing.”
The twins were born more than an hour apart, and Ocean Park added that “the park team and CCRCGP experts provided comfort, enabling Ying Ying to safely deliver the twin cubs at 02:05 and 03:27 respectively.”
Ying Ying, 19, is the oldest first-time mother of the giant panda species to have given birth to twins. (Ocean Park Hong Kong)
The cubs are “very fragile” as newborns, especially the female. The twins are under the 24-hour care and supervision of Ocean Park’s animal specialists and veterinary team.
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The unnamed panda cub “has a lower body temperature, weaker cry and lower food intake” than its brother.
The post concluded, “We are all looking forward to meeting the baby giant pandas. Please wait patiently for a few months to make their debut and officially meet everyone!”