According to the zoo, the cubs have developed the iconic black-and-white markings, and their weight has increased more than tenfold. Their debut to the public is set for Oct. 16.
BERLIN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A quick stretch, a big yawn, and a little shuffle to find a cozier spot … the one-month-old giant panda twins with round bellies full from feeding, are settling down for another nap.
These adorable cubs are set to meet the public for the first time on Oct. 16, Zoo Berlin announced on Friday.
Zoo Berlin has been immersed in a state of baby panda bliss since Aug. 22, when Meng Meng, the 11-year-old female giant panda at the zoo, gave birth to twin female cubs. Since then, the twin sisters and their mother have only been cared for in the secluded area of the Panda Garden, out of sight from the public.
"Maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and a quiet environment is crucial for both the young pandas and their mother during the early weeks. So it takes some time before they are ready to be introduced to the public," biologist and panda curator Florian Sicks told Xinhua.
That will soon change -- starting Oct. 16, visitors will have the chance to watch the two little pandas grow up, the zoo confirmed.
In the weeks since their birth, the cubs have been steadily gaining weight. According to the zoo, the cubs are looking more and more like "real" pandas. Not only have they developed the iconic black-and-white markings, but their birth weight has increased more than tenfold. The sisters now weigh almost the same, at 1,694 and 1,650 grams, respectively.
Recently, they moved from an incubator to their own cozy "panda bed," signaling the next step in their development.
"The two cubs are developing excellently. They can now hear and regulate their body temperature independently. They are therefore no longer dependent on the warming incubators," Sicks said.
"I am delighted that the two are developing so well and that we will soon be able to share this happiness with our guests," said Zoo and Tierpark Director Andreas Knieriem. "We know from numerous enquiries that many panda fans have been eagerly awaiting this moment."
Meng Meng arrived from China in 2017. In August 2019, she gave birth to the first-ever twin panda cubs, Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, in Germany. The new twin cubs were born after an artificial insemination procedure on March 26, following intensive observation and careful preparation by an international team of experts.
Though it will still be a while before the twins join their mother, Meng Meng, to meet the public, their father, 14-year-old Jiao Qing, can be seen by visitors in the zoo, leisurely relaxing or enjoying bamboo. As is typical for male giant pandas, Jiao Qing does not participate in raising the cubs. ■
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