Proud panda mom Lun Lun surprised staff at Zoo Atlanta when she gave birth to not one but two baby panda cubs. These adorable twins are the first giant pandas to be born the US since 1987!
15-year-old Lun Lun was impregnated five months prior and had been monitored like a hawk ever since.
After just 1 hour of labor, the first of her hairless panda cubs arrived and just a few minutes after that, the second one came.
The staff at Zoo Atlanta say they are ‘thrilled and relieved’.
“While we were aware of the possibility that the two might not be born close together, we were also aware of the possibility that the second fetus could be resorbed, resulting in a failed pregnancy,” said Hayley Murphy, DVM, Vice President of Animal Divisions at the zoo.
“Our focus now will be the care and monitoring of the cubs and Lun Lun to ensure that both cubs have the best opportunity to succeed.”
“Teams will employ the same cub-swapping method used with success following the births of the cub’s sisters, Mei Lun and Mei Huan, caring for one cub in a nursery unit while Lun Lun cares for the other.
“The cubs’ time with their mother will be rotated to ensure that both receive equal amounts of maternal care.”
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