Berlin Zoo unveils adorable photos of the first German panda twins
It’s panda-monium!
Zoo Berlin hasĀ welcomed two new panda cubs born to six-year-old female panda Meng Meng and nine-year-old male panda Jiao Qing on August 31, and they may just be the cutest little things that we have ever seen.
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We’d like to give special props to Meng Meng for being theĀ first giant panda to give birth in the country, making the pair of cubs the first German pandas.
Since August, the baby panda cubs have grown their signature black and white fur, gained weight, and opened their eyes.
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“There are only 1,864 adult pandas currently living in their natural habitat,ā notes veterinarian and Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr. Andreas Knieriem in one of the first blog posts about the new babies. “As a result, every single new cub represents an important contribution to the conservation of the species.ā
The healthy progression of the cubs’ growth bodes well for the species as a whole.
“Despite their exalted status and relative lack of natural predators, pandas are still at risk,” the World Wildlife Organization (WWF) reports. “Severe threats from humans have left just over 1,800 pandas in the wild.”
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Zoo Berlin is a massive advocate for the preservation of giant pandas and is passionate about saving them in their natural habitat.
They play an active role in assisting the Chengdu Panda BaseĀ — located in Sichuan, China –by supporting breeding programs as well as connecting and expanding protected environments.
To date, over 200 panda cubs have been born at the base — including Jiao Qing and Meng Meng.
In the long-term, their goal is to release the bears into protected reserves in China.
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Zoo Berlin received its first-ever giant panda in 1937, a male appropriately named Happy.
In 1977, nearly 400,000 visitors swarmed the park to catch a glimpse of Chi Chi, a visiting female panda.
Ultimately, both Chi Chi and Happy were sent to other zoos following their appearances in Berlin.
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It wouldn’t be hard to get attached to these adorable little munchkins. However, the zoo must send them back to their native China.
They will remain in Berlin with mama Meng Meng for four years until they have been fully weaned.
Meng Meng and Jiao Qing are also only at the zoo temporarily as a result of a 15-year loan agreement worked out by Chancellor Angela Merkel with China in 2017.
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The zoo posts updates about the pair regularly via theirĀ panda blog.
We will now leave you with photos of said baby pandas.
You’re welcome.
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