Hong Kong celebrated the arrival of giant panda twins on Thursday, marking the city’s first-ever birth of such cubs.
Ying Ying, the mother panda, delivered a male and female cub on August 15, 2024, at Ocean Park, just one day shy of her 19th birthday. According to park officials in the Chinese city, this makes her the oldest giant panda to give birth for the first time.
The twin pandas were born in the early hours following Ying Ying’s nearly five-month pregnancy. “The city’s beloved giant panda, Ying Ying, brought into the world one female and one male cub at Ocean Park,” the city’s theme park announced.
Beijing presented Ying Ying and the twins’ father, Le Le, to Hong Kong in 2007. The pair successfully mated in March at Ocean Park.
“This birth is exceptionally rare, particularly as Ying Ying has set a record as the oldest first-time mother among giant pandas,” stated Ocean Park.
Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, emphasized the significance of the twins’ birth during the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, calling it “even more special.”
The government noted that Ocean Park’s veterinary teams and experts from the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda will continuously monitor the new mother and her cubs.
Giant pandas are known for their low reproductive rates, contributing to their endangered status. Only about 1,800 remain in the wild.
Last month, Lee announced that China would send another pair of giant pandas to Hong Kong to celebrate the city’s 27th year under Chinese governance.
