Giant panda gives birth to twins in French zoo

Twin giant panda cubs were born at the ZooParc de Beauval in central France, reports BBC. The zoo officials have termed the event as “exceptional”. According to the report, Huan Huan’s cubs were born in the early hours of Monday, weighing just 149g (0.3lb) and 129g, respectively.

Releasing a statement, the zoo officials said the cubs were very lively, pink and plump.

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According to experts, the reproduction process of pandas, both in captivity and in the wild, is very difficult, as only few of the bears native to China get in the mood.

But Huan Huan, which China gave to France as a loan, already has given birth Yuan Meng, the first panda to be been born in France.

According to news agency AFP, Huan Huan and her partner Yuan Zi managed to make “contact” eight times in a weekend last March. Just to be sure, veterinarians also carried out an artificial insemination.

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The zoo official informed that to monitor Huan Huan’s labour, two veterinarians came over especially from China.

Giant pandas, which were once endangered, are no longer in the list but still vulnerable, said China last month. The number of giant pandas in the wild have reached 1,800. But that hasn’t lessened the excitement at the zoo over the new arrivals.

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“These births are always exceptional,” said Delphine Delord, the zoo’s associate director.

China saved its iconic animal through its long-term conservation efforts, including the expansion of habitats, said experts.

Pandas are considered national treasure by China, but have also loaned them to other countries as part of a diplomatic strategy.