Chet
12-24-2006, 08:06 AM
This has turned out to be a trully special Christmas for panda fans everywhere as we just got word that Meimei, the panda mum at Adventure World in Japan, gave birth to a pair of twins on 23 December.
Pandas usually give birth around July and August, and winter births are extremely rare. This is the second winter birth for her; her first in 2001 has since returned to China. She has also had two previous sets of twins.
Meimei has also been known to rear her twins without any human help. Usually, panda mums, especially in the wild, would keep one and abandon the weaker of the two. That's why Wolong in China has come up with the practice of swap-rearing in which the keepers help to look after one baby but rotate both babies' time with their mother.
Here's a first picture of Meimei getting a drink with what looks like one of her babies just under her chin.
http://aws-s.com/english-new/2006pandababy/images/futago01.jpg
Blessed holidays and a great year ahead, everyone!
Pandas usually give birth around July and August, and winter births are extremely rare. This is the second winter birth for her; her first in 2001 has since returned to China. She has also had two previous sets of twins.
Meimei has also been known to rear her twins without any human help. Usually, panda mums, especially in the wild, would keep one and abandon the weaker of the two. That's why Wolong in China has come up with the practice of swap-rearing in which the keepers help to look after one baby but rotate both babies' time with their mother.
Here's a first picture of Meimei getting a drink with what looks like one of her babies just under her chin.
http://aws-s.com/english-new/2006pandababy/images/futago01.jpg
Blessed holidays and a great year ahead, everyone!