BEIJING – A pair of different-sex giant panda cubs has been born to Cao Cao at the Wolong Panda Research Base, Sichuan Province, after she mated with a male in the wild.
According to the China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas, Cao Cao gave birth to a male cub weighing approximately 215 grammes and a female of 84 grammes, both of whom are currently in a stable condition, the state-run Xinhua reports.
The male cub is being reared by his mother, who has previously given birth to seven cubs, while his sister is currently under the care of researchers.
This is the the first time twin cubs have been successfully bred by captive and wild pandas. Last July, Cao Cao gave birth to a male cub, which was the first giant panda born using this technique.
As of October 2017, there were 520 captive giant pandas around the world, with 58 born in 2017. Fifty-three of the newborns were delivered at giant panda bases in Sichuan, Xinhua noted.
