Greater Vancouver Zoo celebrates birth of twin red pandas (VIDEO)

The Greater Vancouver Zoo is celebrating the birth of two insanely adorable red panda cubs. 

Last year, when red pandas Sakura and Arun were introduced at the zoo, a spark ignited and the two kicked off a wholesome love story.

“[Sakura] is extremely food motivated and loves sweet foods, most notably dates and pears. She often steals Arun’s sweet food because she just loves sweets so much and he lets her because he’s not as big of a fan,” the zoo said. “Sakura is very dominant over Arun but he really doesn’t mind at all. “

Then, earlier this year, the zoo started to see Sakura pulling material into boxes after mating behaviours with Arun. She eventually started to protect her nest boxes and by mid-May, she began to actively nest in one box. 

“On the day we had planned to do an ultrasound was the day we discovered the babies!” the zoo said. 

The twin cubs were born on June 14. 

Since the cubs’ birth, keeper interaction at the zoo has been at a minimum to allow Sakura to raise her cubs as naturally as possible, the zoo says. 

“Sakura is an excellent mother, very protective of her cubs. We did and continue to do a visual health check daily and regular weigh-ins,” a statement from the zoo reads. 

“Soon they will be out and about in their enclosure, and will start getting really active when they start to eat solid food at three months old.”

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Important step in ongoing conservation efforts

The birth of the sweet twins is a major victory for the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and the ongoing conservation efforts of this endangered species because these animals help keep balance in their ecosystem, the zoo says.

“Their native range is in Northern Myanmar, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and into the West Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of China. Red Pandas are also the last surviving species in their taxonomic family, saving them preserves a piece of our world’s national heritage,” the zoo explained. 

The cubs will be at the Greater Vancouver Zoo for at least a year, “which is the amount of time they stay with mom in the wild.”

After, the SSP may pair them up with potential mates at other facilities.